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TITIAN 


A  COLLECTION  OF  FIFTEEN  PICTURES 

AND  A  PORTRAIT  OF  THE  PAINTER 

WITH  INTRODUCTION  AND 

INTERPRETATION 

BY 

ESTELLE  M.  HURLL 


BOSTON    AND   NEW   YORK 
HOUGHTON   MIFFLIN  COMPANY 


COPYRIGHT,    IQOI,    BY    HOUGHTON,   MIFFLIN   &   CO. 
ALL    RIGHTS    RESERVED 


PREFACE 

To  give  proper  variety  to  this  little  collection,  the  selec- 
tions are  equally  divided  between  portraits  and  "  subject " 
pictures  of  religious  or  legendary  character. 

The  Flora,  the  Bella  and  the  Philip  II.  show  the  painter's 
most  characteristic  work  in  portraiture,  while  the  Pesaro 
Madonna,  the  Assumption,  and  the  Christ  of  the  Tribute 
Money  stand  for  his  highest  achievement  in  sacred  art. 


ESTELLE  M.  HURLL. 


New  Bedford,  Mass. 
March,  1901. 


5  2  5  ()!>r> 


CONTENTS   AND  LIST  OF  PICTURES 

PAGE 

Portrait  of  Titian.    Painted  by  himself    .    Frontispiece. 
Picture  from  Carbon  Print  by  Braun,  Clement  &  Co. 

Introduction 

i.   On  Titian's  Character  as  an  Artist  .     .     .     vii 

ii.   On  Books  of  Reference xi 

eel   Historical   Directory   of  the   Pictures   of 

this  Collection xii 

iv.  Outline  Table  of  the  Principal  Events  in 

Titian's  Life xiv 

v.   Some  of  Titian's  Contemporaries      ....  xvii 

I.   The  Physician  Parma 1 

Picture  from  Photograph  by  Franz  Hanfstaengl 
II.   The  Presentation  of  the  Virgin  (Detail)    ...      7 
Picture  from  Carbon  Print  by  Braun,  Cle'ment  &  Co. 

III.  The  Empress  Isabella 13 

Picture  from  Carbon  Print  by  Braun,  Cle'ment  &  Co. 

IV.  Madonna  and  Child  with  Saints 19 

Picture  from  Photograph  by  Franz  Hanfstaengl 

V.    Philip  II 25 

Picture  from  Carbon  Print  by  Braun,  Cle'ment  &  Co. 

VI.   St.  Christopher 31 

Picture  from  Photograph  by  D.  Anderson 

VII.   Lavinia 37 

Picture  from  Photograph  by  Franz  Hanfstaengl 

VIII.   Christ  of  the  Tribute  Money 43 

Picture  from  Carbon  Print  by  Braun,  Cle'ment  &  Co. 

IX.   The  Bella 49 

Picture  from  Carbon  Print  by  Braun,  Cle'ment  &  Co. 

X.   Medea  and  Venus 55 

Picture  from  Carbon  Print  by  Braun,  Cle'ment  &  Co. 

XI.   The  Man  with  the  Glove 61 

Picture  from  Carbon  Print  by  Braun,  Cle'ment  &  Co. 

XII.  The  Assumption  of  the  Virgin 67 

Picture  from  Carbon  Print  by  Braun,  Cle'ment  &  Co. 


CONTENTS 

XIII.  Flora 73 

Picture  from  Carbon  Print  by  Braun,  Cle'ment  &  Co. 

XIV.  The  Pesaro  Madonna 79 

Picture  from  Photograph  by  D.  Anderson 

XV.   St.  John  the  Baptist 85 

Picture  from  Photograph  by  D.  Anderson 

XVI.   The  Portrait  of  Titian 91 

Pronouncing  Vocabulary  of  Proper  Names  and 
Foreign  Words 95 


INTRODUCTION 


I.  ON  TITIAN'S  CHARACTER  AS  AN  ARTIST. 

"  There  is  no  greater  name  in  Italian  art  —  therefore 
no  greater  in  art  —  than  that  of  Titian."  These  words  of 
the  distinguished  art  critic,  Claude  Phillips,  express  the 
verdict  of  more  than  three  centuries.  It  is  agreed  that 
no  other  painter  ever  united  in  himself  so  many  qualities 
of  artistic  merit.  Other  painters  may  have  equalled  him 
in  particular  respects,  but  "  rounded  completeness,"  quot- 
ing another  critic's  phrase,  is  "  what  stamps  Titian  as  a 
master."  1 

To  begin  with  the  qualities  which  are  apparent  even  in 
black  and  white  reproduction,  we  are  impressed  at  once  with 
the  vitality  which  informs  all  his  figures.  They  are  breath- 
ing human  beings,  of  real  flesh  and  blood,  pulsing  with 
life.  They  represent  all  classes  and  conditions,  from  such 
royal  sitters  as  Charles  V.  and  Philip  II.  to  the  peasants 
and  boatmen  who  served  as  models  for  St.  Christopher,  St. 
John,  and  the  Pharisee  of  the  Tribute  Money.  They  por- 
tray, too,  every  age  :  the  tender  infancy  of  the  Christ  child, 
the  girlhood  of  the  Virgin,  the  dawning  manhood  of  the 
Man  with  the  Glove,  the  maidenhood  of  Medea,  the  young 
motherhood  of  Mary,  the  virile  middle  life  of  Venetian 
Senators,  the  noble  old  age  of  St.  Jerome  and  St.  Peter, 
each  is  set  vividly  before  us. 

1  See  notes  on  Titian  in  Vasari's  Lives  of  the  Painters,  edited  by 
E.  H.  and  E.  W.  Blashfield  and  A.  A.  Hopkins. 


viii  TITIAN 

The  list  contains  no  mystics  and  ascetics :  life,  and  life 
abundant,  is  the  keynote  of  Titian's  art.  The  abnormal 
finds  no  place  in  it.  Health  and  happiness  are  to  him 
interchangeable  terms. 

Yet  it  must  not  be  supposed  that  Titian's  delineation 
of  life  stopped  short  with  the  physical :  he  was  besides  a 
remarkable  interpreter  of  the  inner  life.  Though  not  as 
profound  a  psychologist  as  Leonardo  or  Lotto,  he  had  at 
all  times  a  just  appreciation  of  character,  and,  on  occasion, 
rose  to  a  supreme  touch  in  its  interpretation.  In  such 
studies  as  the  Flora,  where  he  is  interested  chiefly  in  work- 
ing out  certain  technical  problems,  he  takes  small  pains 
to  make  anything  more  of  his  subject  than  a  beautiful 
animal.  The  Man  with  the  Glove  stands  at  the  other  end 
of  the  scale.  Here  we  have  a  personality  so  individual, 
and  so  possessing,  as  it  were,  that  the  portrait  takes  rank 
among  the  world's  masterpieces  of  psychic  interpretation. 

In  his  best  works  Titian's  sense  of  the  dramatic  holds 
the  golden  mean  between  conventionality  and  sensation- 
alism. In  the  group  of  sacred  personages  surrounding  the 
Madonna  and  Child  there  is  sufficient  action  to  constitute 
a  reason  for  their  presence,  —  to  relieve  the  figures  of  that 
1  artificial  and  purely  spectacular  character  which  they  have 
in  the  earlier  art,  —  yet  the  action  is  restrained  and  dig- 
nified as  befits  the  occasion.  The  pose  of  both  figures  in 
the  Christ  of  the  Tribute  Money  is  in  the  highest  degree 
dramatic  without  being  in  any  way  theatrical.  The  tem- 
pered dignity  of  Titian's  dramatic  power  is  also  admira- 
bly seen  in  the  Assumption  of  the  Virgin.  The  apostles' 
action  is  full  of  passion,  yet  without  violence  ;  the  buoyant 
motion  of  the  Virgin  is  unmarred  by  any  exaggeration. 

The  same  painting  illustrates  Titian's  magnificent  mas- 
tery of  composition.  Perhaps  the  Pesaro  Madonna  alone 
of  all  his  other  works  is  worthy  to  be  classed  with  it 
in  this  respect.     It  is  impossible  to  conceive  of  anything 


INTRODUCTION  ix 

better  in  composition  than  these  two  works.  Not  a  line  in 
either  could  be  altered  without  detriment  to  the  organic 
unity  of  the  plan. 

The  crowning  excellence  of  Titian  is  his  color.  The 
chief  of  the  school  in  which  color  was  the  characteristic 
quality,  he  represents  all  the  best  elements  in  its  color 
work.  If  others  excelled  him  in  siugle  efforts  or  in  some 
one  respect,  none  equalled  him  for  sustained  grandeur. 
A  recent  criticism  sums  up  his  color  qualities  succinctly  in 
these  words :  "  He  had  at  once  enough  of  golden  strength, 
enough  of  depth,  enough  of  6clat ;  his  color,  profound  and 
powerful  per  se,  impresses  us  more  than  that  of  the  others, 
because  he  brought  more  of  other  qualities  to  enforce  it."  l 

Titian's  works  easily  fall  into  a  few  groups,  according 
to  the  subject  treated.  In  mythological  themes  he  was  in 
his  natural  element.  Here  he  could  express  the  sheer  joy 
of  living  which  was  common  to  the  Venetian  and  the 
Greek.  Here  physical  beauty  was  its  own  excuse  for 
being,  without  recourse  to  any  ulterior  significance.  Here 
he  could  exercise  unhindered  his  marvellous  skill  in  mod- 
elling the  human  form  along  those  perfect  lines  of  grace 
which  give  Greek  sculpture  its  distinctive  character.  It 
is  in  his  earlier  period  that  his  affinity  with  the  Greek 
spirit  is  closest,  and  we  see  it  in  perfect  fruition  in  the 
Medea  and  Venus. 

Titian's  treatment  of  sacred  subjects  is  in  the  diverse 
moods  of  his  many-sided  artistic  nature.  The  great  cer- 
emonial altar  pieces,  such  as  the  Assumption  of  the  Virgin, 
and  the  Pesaro  Madonna,  are  a  perfect  reflection  of  the 
religious  spirit  of  his  environment.  Religion  was  with 
the  Venetians  a  delightful  pastime,  an  occasion  for  festi- 
vals and  pageants,  a  means  of  increasing  the  civic  glory. 
These  great  decorative  pictures  are  full  of  the  pomp  and 

1  Notes  on  Titian  in  Vasari's  Lives  of  the  Painters,  by  E.  H.  and 
E.  W.  Blashfield  and  A.  A.  Hopkins. 


x  TITIAN 

magnificence  dear  to  Venice,  full  of  the  joy  and  pride  of 
life. 

Yet  in  another  mood  Titian  paints  the  life  of  the  Holy 
Family  as  a  pastoral  idyl.  A  sunny  landscape,  a  happy 
young  mother,  a  laughing  baby  boy,  bring  the  sacred  sub- 
ject very  near  to  common  human  sympathies. 

Some  of  Titian's  professedly  sacred  pictures  are  in  the 
vein  of  pure  genre,  painted  in  a  period  when  this  depart- 
ment of  art  had  not  yet  attained  independent  existence. 
We  see  such  works  in  the  St.  Christopher  and  the  St.  John. 
These  direct  studies  of  the  people  throw  an  interesting 
light  upon  the  painter  of  ideal  beauty  :  they  show  an  other- 
wise unsuspected  vigor. 

The  Christ  of  the  Tribute  Money  stands  alone  in  Titian's 
sacred  art.  The  technical  qualities  are  thoroughly  char- 
acteristic of  his  hand,  but  a  new  note  is  struck  in  spiritual 
feeling.  Virile,  without  coarseness ;  gentle,  without  weak- 
ness, the  chief  figure  is  perhaps  the  most  intellectual  ideal 
of  Christ  which  has  been  conceived  in  art. 

Titian's  landscapes,  though  holding  an  accessory  place 
only  in  his  art,  are  counted  by  the  critical  art  historian 
with  those  of  Giorgione,  as  the  practical  beginning  of  this 
branch  of  art.  He  knew  how  to  express  "  the  quintes- 
sence of  nature's  most  significant  beauties  without  a  too 
slavish  adherence  to  any  special  set  of  natural  facts." 1 
His  imagination  interpreted  many  of  nature's  moods,  from 
the  pastoral  calm  environing  Medea  and  Venus  to  the 
stormy  grandeur  of  the  forest  in  which  St.  Peter  Martyr 
met  his  fate. 

It  is  undoubtedly  as  a  portrait-painter  that  Titian's  many 
great  qualities  meet  in  their  utmost  perfection.  His  feel- 
ing for  textures,  the  delicacy  with  which  he  painted  the 
hair  and  the  hands  ;  his  skill  in  modelling  ;  his  instinct  for 
pose  ;  the  infinite  variety  of  his  resources,  made  an  incom- 

i  Claude  Phillips. 


INTRODUCTION 


XI 


parable  equipment  in  the  secondary  matters  of  portrait 
painting.  To  these  he  added,  as  we  have  seen,  the  two 
highest  essentials  of  the  art,  the  power  of  giving  life  to 
his  sitter,  and  the  gift  of  insight  into  character. 

Nature  made  him  a  court  painter  ;  he  loved  to  impart 
to  his  sitter  that  air  of  noble  distinction  whose  secret  he 
so  well  understood.  Yet  he  was  too  large  a  man  to  let 
this  or  any  other  natural  preference  hamper  him.  Some- 
thing of  himself,  it  is  true,  he  frequently  put  into  his  fig- 
ures, yet  he  was  at  times  capable  of  thoroughly  objective 
work.  He  stands  perhaps  somewhere  between  the  extreme 
subjectivity  of  Van  Dyck  and  the  splendid  realism  of 
Velasquez.  The  noble  company  of  his  sitters,  emperors, 
kings,  doges,  popes,  cardinals  and  bishops,  noblemen, 
poets  and  beautiful  women,  still  make  their  presence  felt 
in  the  world.  Theirs  was  a  deathless  fame  on  whom  the 
painter  conferred  the  gift  of  his  art. 

/  Titian's  temperament  was  keenly  sensitive  to  the  influ- 
ences of  his  environment,  and  in  his  extraordinary  length 
of  days,  Venice  passed  through  various  changes,  political, 
social,  artistic  and  religious,  which  left  their  mark  upon 
his  work.  One  cannot  make  a  random  selection  from  his 
pictures  and  pronounce  upon  the  qualities  of  his  art.  The 
work  of  his  youth,  his  maturity,  his  old  age,  has  each  a 
character  of  its  own.  It  is  this  rounding  out  of  his  art 
life  through  successive  stages  of  growth  and  even  of  decay 
that  gives  the  entire  body  of  his  works  the  character  of 
a  living  organism./ 

II.  ON  BOOKS  OF  REFERENCE. 

The  original  source  of  biographical^material  relating  to 
Titian  is  in  Vasari's  "Lives  of  the  Painters,"  the  best 
edition  of  which  is  the  Foster  translation,  annotated  with 
critical  and  explanatory  comments  by  E.  H.  and  E.  "W. 


xii  TITIAN 

Blashfield  and  A.  A.  Hopkins.  The  most  complete  mod- 
ern biography  is  that  by  Crowe  and  Cavalcaselle,  in  two 
large  volumes  (published  in  1877),  but  as  this  is  now 
out  of  print,  it  can  be  consulted  only  in  the  large  libraries. 
Some  of  the  conclusions  of  these  writers  have  been  chal- 
lenged by  later  critics,  Morelli  and  others,  and  should  not 
be  accepted  without  weighing  the  new  arguments.  The 
volume  on  "  Titian :  A  Study  of  his  Life  and  Work," 
by  Claude  Phillips,  Keeper  of  the  Wallace  Collection, 
London,  is  in  line  with  the  modern  methods  of  criticism, 
and  is  written  in  a  delightful  vein  of  appreciation.  The 
two  parts  of  the  book,  The  Earlier  Work  and  The  Later 
Work,  correspond  to  the  two  monographs  for  "  The  Port- 
folio," in  which  the  work  was  first  published. 

In  the  general  histories  of  Italian  art,  valuable  chapters 
on  Titian  are  contained  in  Kugler's  "  Handbook  of  the 
Italian  Schools  "  (to  be  read  in  the  latest  edition  by  A.  H. 
Layard)  and  Mrs.  Jameson's  "  Early  Italian  Painters  " 
(to  be  read  in  the  latest  revision  by  Estelle  M.  Hurll). 
A  monograph  on  Titian  is  issued  in  the  German  Series  of 
Art  Monographs,  edited  by  H.  Knackfuss. 

Interesting  suggestions  upon  the  study  of  Titian's  art 
will  be  found  in  the  following  references:  In  Mrs. 
Oliphant's  "  Makers  of  Venice  ;  "  in  Berenson's  "  Vene- 
tian Painters  of  the  Renaissance  ;  "  in  Symonds's  volume 
on  Fine  Arts  in  the  series  "  Renaissance  in  Italy." 
Burckhardt's  "  Cicerone "  has  some  valuable  pages  on 
Titian,  but  the  book  is  out  of  print.  A  List  of  Titian's 
work  is  given  in  Berenson's  "Venetian  Painters." 

III.   HISTORICAL  DIRECTORY  OF    THE    PICTURES    OF 
THIS   COLLECTION. 

Portraitfrontispicce.  Probably  the  portrait  mentioned 
by  Vasari  as  painted  in  1502.  In  the  Prado  Gallery, 
Madrid.     Size  :   2  ft.  10  in.  by  2  ft.  1]  in. 


INTRODUCTION  xiii 

1.  The  Physician  Parma.  It  appears  that  there  is  no 
direct  testimony  to  prove  the  authorship  of  this  picture, 
the  attribution  to  Titian  having  been  made  by  an  early 
director  of  the  gallery,  following  certain  evidence  from 
Rudolfi.  Herr  Wickhoff  claims  the  picture  for  Dome- 
nico  Campagnola,  and  the  recent  biographer  of  Giorgione 
(Herbert  Cook)  includes  it  among  the  works  of  that 
painter.  The  attribution  to  Titian  is,  however,  not  dis- 
puted by  the  two  severest  of  modern  critics,  Morelli  and 
Berenson.  In  the  Vienna  Gallery.  Size :  3  ft.  6  in.  by 
2  ft.  7  in. 

2.  The  Presentation  of  the  Virgin  {Detail).  Painted 
for  the  brotherhood  of  S.  Maria  della  Carita,  and  now  in 
the  Venice  Academy.  Date  assigned  by  Berenson  1540. 
Size  of  entire  picture  :  11  ft.  5  in.  by  25  ft.  6^  in. 

3.  The  Empress  Isabella.  Probably  one  of  the  two 
pictures  referred  to  in  a  letter  of  1544  from  Titian  to 
Charles  V.  In  the  Prado  Gallery,  Madrid.  Size :  3  ft. 
10  in.  by  3  ft.  2J  in. 

4.  Madonna  and  Child  with  Saints.  An  early  work 
in  the  Vienna  Gallery,  similar  to  a  picture  in  the  Louvre, 
to  which  it  is  considered  superior  by  Crowe  and  Cavalca- 
selle.  Called  an  "  atelier  repetition  "  by  Claude  Phillips. 
Size :  3  ft.  5  in.  by  4  ft.  3  in. 

5.  Philip  II.  Painted  1550,  and  now  in  the  Prado 
Gallery,  Madrid.     Size  :  6  ft.  4  in.  by  3  ft.  7f  in. 

6.  St.  Christopher.  Painted  in  fresco  on  the  wall 
of  the  Doge's  Palace,  Venice,  in  honor  of  the  arrival  of 
the  French  army  at  San  Cristoforo  (near  Milan),  1523. 
Ordered  by  the  doge  Andrea  Gritti,  who  was  a  partisan 
of  the  French. 

1  7.     Lavinia.    Painted  about  1550,  and  now  in  the  Ber- 
lin Gallery.     Size  :  3  ft.  3J  in.  by  2  ft.  7£  in. 

8.  Christ  of  the  Tribute  Money.  According  to  Vasari, 
painted  for  Duke  Alfonso  of  Ferrara  in  1514  for  door  of 


xiv  TITIAN 

a  press.  Assigned  by  Crowe  and  Cavalcaselle  to  the  year 
1518,  the  date  accepted  by  Morelli.  In  the  Dresden  Gal- 
lery.    Size  :  2  ft.  5£  in.  by  1  ft.  10  in. 

9.  The  Bella.  Painted  about  1535.  In  the  Pitti 
Gallery,  Florence.     Size :  3  ft.  3 \  in.  by  2  ft.  6  in. 

10.  Medea  and  Venus.  Date  unknown,  but  fixed  ap- 
proximately by  Morelli  between  1510  and  1512.  In  the 
Borghese  Gallery,  Rome.     Size :  3  ft.  5  in.  by  8  ft.  8  in. 

11.  The  Man  with  the  Glove.  Assigned  to  Titian's 
middle  period.  In  the  Louvre,  Paris.  Size :  3  ft.  3^  in. 
by  2  ft.  11  in. 

12.  The  Assumption  of  the  Virgin  (Detail).  Or- 
dered 1516  for  high  altar  of  S.  Maria  Gloriosa  de'  Frari, 
Venice.  Shown  to  public,  March  20,  1518.  Now  in  the 
Venice  Academy.     Size :  22  ft.  9  in.  by  11  ft.  10J  in. 

13.  Flora.  Painted  after  1523.  In  the  Uffizi  Gal- 
lery, Florence.     Size  :  3  ft.  8 J  in.  by  3  ft.  1J  in. 

14.  The  Pesaro  Madonna.  Finished  in  1526  after 
being  seven  years  in  process.  Still  in  original  place  in 
the  Church  of  the  Frari,  Venice. 

v  15.  St.  John  the  Baptist.  Painted  in  1556.  In  the 
Venice  Academy.     Size :  6  ft.  5  in.  by  4  ft.  5  in. 


IV.  OUTLINE  TABLE  OF  THE  PRINCIPAL  EVENTS  IN 

TITIAN'S  LIFE.1 

1477.    Titian   born    at  Cadore  in    the   Friuli,  north    of 

Venice. 
Circa  1488.     Removal  to  Venice. 
Bet.    1507-1508.      Work    on  frescoes   of    Fondaca   de' 

Tedeschi  with  Giorgione. 
1511.    In  Padua  and  Vicenza.     Frescoes  in  the  Scuola 

del  Santo,  Padua. 

1  Compiled  from  the    Index  to  Titian  :  Hit  Life  and    Times,  by 
Crowe  and  Cavaleaselle. 


INTRODUCTION  xv 

Circa  1512.     Marriage. 

1516.    Assumption  of  the  Virgin  begun  for  the  Church 

of  the  Frari,  Venice. 
Titian's  first  connection  with  Alfonso  I.  and  the 

Court  of  Ferrara. 

1518.  Assumption  finished. 

1519.  Visit  in  Ferrara,  and  the  Bacchanal,  now  in  the 

Madrid  Gallery. 

1522.  Altarpiece  for  Brescia,  and  short  visit  there. 

1523.  Visits  at  Mantua  and  Ferrara. 

1524.  Visit  in  Ferrara. 

Circa  1525.     Birth  of  Titian's  son  Pomponio. 
1526.    Pesaro  Madonna. 
1528.    Visit  in  Ferrara. 

1530.  Visit  in  Bologna. 

St.  Peter  Martyr  delivered  April  27,  for  Church 

of  SS.  Giovanni  e  Paolo,  Venice. 
Death  of  Titian's  wife. 

1531.  Visit  in  Ferrara. 

Removal  from  town  to  suburban  residence  in  Biri. 

1532.  Summons  to  court  of  Charles  V.  at  Bologna.     Por- 

traits of  the  Emperor. 

1536.  With  the  Emperor  at  Astic. 

1537.  Portraits  of   Duke   and  Duchess   of  Urbino  and 

the   Battle   of   Cadore.      Paintings   in  Hall  of 
Council  of  Venice  (destroyed  by  fire  1577). 

1540.  Visit  to  Mantua  to  attend  the  funeral  of  patron 

Duke  Federico  Gonzaga. 

1541.  Appointment  with  Emperor  at  Milan. 

1543.  Guest  of  Cardinal  Farnese  at  Ferrara  and  Brus- 

sels. 
Portraits   of   Cardinal    Farnese   and    Pope   Paul 
III. 

1544.  Two  portraits  of  the  dead  Empress  Isabella  sent 

to  Charles  V. 


xvi  TITIAN 

1545.  Visit  to  Rome,  and  portraits  of  Paul  III.  and  his 

grandsons. 

1546.  Departure  from  Rome,  visit  to  Florence  and  return 

to  Venice. 

1547.  Completion  of  altarpiece  of  Serravalle. 

1548.  Journey   to   Augsburg   to  meet   Charles   V.,  and 

equestrian  portrait  of  the  Emperor. 
To  Milan  to  meet   Prince  Philip   and  Duke   of 
Alva.     Portrait  of  Alva. 

1549.  Purchase  of  the  house  at  Biri,  formerly  rented. 

1550.  Visit    to   court   at    Augsburg,   and   portraits    of 

Philip  II. 

1554.  Pictures  completed  and  sent   to  Charles  V.   and 

Philip  II.  in  Spain  :  The  Virgin  Lamenting,  the 
Trinity,  the  Danae. 
Venus  and  Adonis  sent  to  London  to  Philip  upon 
marriage  with  Mary  Tudor. 

1555.  Marriage  of  Titian's  daughter  Lavinia. 
Perseus  and  Andromeda  sent  to  King  Philip. 

1556.  St.  John  the  Baptist,  painted  for  S.  Maria  Mag- 

.  giore. 
1559.    Entombment  sent  to  Philip. 

1562.  Christ  in  the  Garden,  and  the  Europa.     Last  Sup- 

per begun. 

1563.  Visit  to  Brescia. 

1565.   Visit  to  Cadore,  and  plans  for  frescoes  in  the  Pieve 

church. 
1567.    Martyrdom  of  St.  Lawrence,  and  a  Venus  sent  to 

Madrid. 
1572.    Visit  from  Cardinals  Granvelle  and  Pacheco. 

1574.  Visit  from  Henry  III.  of  France. 
Allegory  of  Lepanto  finished  for  Philip  II. 

1575.  Pieta  begun. 

1576.  Death  of  Titian  from  plague  at  Venice. 


INTRODUCTION 


xvn 


V.  SOME  OF  TITIAN'S  CONTEMPORARIES. 

RULERS. 
Emperors:  — 

Maximilian  I.  of  Germany,  1493-1519. 
Charles  V.  of  Germany  (I.  of  Spain)  crowned  Holy  Roman 

Emperor,  1520.     Died  1558. 
Kings :  — 
Philip  II.  son  and  successor   of   Charles  V.,   accession, 

1556  ;  death,  1598. 
Henry  VIII.  of  England,  reigned  1509-1547. 


>> 


Edward  VI. 
Mary  Tudor 
Elizabeth 
Francis  I.  of  France, 
Henry  II. 


1547-1553. 
1553-1558. 
1558-1603. 
1515-1547. 
1547-1559. 


Catherine  de'  Medici  real  ruler  of  France  in  reigns  of 
Francis  II.  and  Charles  IX.,  1559-1574. 

Popes :  — 


Sixtus  IV.,  1471. 
Innocent  VIII.,  1485. 
Alexander  VI.,  1492. 
Pius  III.,  1503. 
Julius  II.,  1503. 
Leo  X.,  1513. 
Adrian  VI.,  1522. 
Clement  VII.,  1523. 

Doges  of  Venice :  — 
Giov.  Mocenigo,  1478. 
Marco  Barbarigo,  1485. 
Agostino  Barbarigo,  1486. 
Leonardo  Loredan,  1501. 
Antonio  Grimani,  1521. 
Andrea  Gritti,  1523. 
Pietro  Lando,  1528. 


Paul  III.,  1534. 
Julius  III.,  1550. 
Marcellus  II.,  1555. 
Paul  IV.,  1555. 
Pius  IV.,  1559. 
Pius  V.,  1566. 
Gregory  XIII.,  1572. 


Francesco  Donato,  1545. 
Marco  Trevisan,  1553. 
Francesco  Venier,  1554. 
Lorenzo  Priuli,  1556. 
Girolamo  Priuli,  1559. 
Pietro  Loredan,  1567. 
Alvise  Mocenigo  I.,  1570. 


xviii  TITIAN 

Painters :  — 

Giovanni  Bellini,  1428-1516. 
Perugino,  1446-1523. 
Leonardo  da  Vinci,  1452-1519. 
Michelangelo,  1475-1564. 
Bazzi  (II  Sodoma),  1477-1549. 
Giorgione,  1477-1510. 
Palma  Vecchio,  1480-1528. 
Kaphael,  1483-1520. 
Sebastian  del  Piombo,  1485-1547. 
Andrea  del  Sarto,  1486-1531. 
Correggio,  1494-1534. 
Giorgio  Vasari,  1512-1574. 
Tintoretto,  1518-1594. 
Paolo  Veronese,  1528-1588. 

Men  of  Letters :  — 

Ariosto,  1474-1533,  poet. 

Aretino,  1492-1557,  poet. 

Tasso,  1544-1595,  poet. 

Pietro  Bembo,  1470-1547,  cardinal  and  master  of  Latin 

style. 
Jacopo  Sadoleto,  1477-1547,  cardinal  and  writer  of  Latin 

verses. 
Baldassare    Castiglione,     1478-1529,    diplomatist     and 

scholar. 
Aldo  Manuzio,  1450-1515,  printer ;  established  press  at 

Venice,  1490. 
Guicciardini,  1483-1540,  historian. 


THE    PHYSICIAN   PARMA 

We  are  about  to  study  a  few  pictures  reproduced 
from  the  works  of  a  great  Venetian  painter  of  the 
sixteenth  century,  —  Titian.  The  span  of  this  man's 
life  covered  nearly  a  hundred  years,  from  1477  to 
1576,  a  period  when  Venice  was  a  rich  and  powerful 
city.  The  Venetians  were  a  pleasure-loving  people, 
fond  of  pomp  and  display.  They  delighted  in  sump* 
tuous  entertainments,  and  were  particularly  given  to 
pageants.  We  read  of  the  picturesque  processions 
that  paraded  the  square  of  St.  Mark's,  or  floated  in 
gondolas  along  the  grand  canal.  The  city  was  full 
of  fine  buildings,  palaces,  churches,  and  public  halls. 
Their  richly  ornamented  fronts  of  colored  marbles, 
bordering  the  blue  water  of  the  canals,  made  a  bril- 
liant panorama  of  color.  The  buildings  were  no  less 
beautiful  within  than  without,  being  filled  with  the 
splendid  paintings  of  the  Venetian  masters. 

The  pictures  in  the  churches  and  monasteries 
illustrated  sacred  story  and  the  fives  of  the  saints ; 
those  in  the  public  halls  depicted  historical  and 
allegorical  themes,  while  the  private  palaces  were 
adorned  with  mythological  scenes  and  portraits. 

Titian  engaged  in  works  of  all  these  kinds,  and 
seemed  equally  skilful  in  each.     The  great  number 


,2:  r  :  TITIAN 

and  variety  of  his  pictures  bring  vividly  before  us 
the  manners  and  customs  of  his  times.  His  art  is 
like  a  great  mirror  in  which  Venice  of  the  sixteenth 
century  is  clearly  reflected  in  all  her  magnificence. 
As  we  study  our  little  prints,  we  must  bear  in  mind 
that  the  original  paintings  glow  with  rich  and 
harmonious  color.  As  far  as  possible  let  us  try  to 
supply  this  lost  color  from  our  imagination. 

Nearly  all  the  notable  personages  of  the  time  sat 
to  Titian  for  their  portraits,  —  emperors,  queens,  and 
princes,  popes,  and  cardinals,  the  doges,  or  dukes, 
of  Venice,  noblemen,  poets,  and  fair  women.  Wear- 
ing the  costumes  of  a  bygone  age,  these  men  and 
women  look  out  of  their  canvases  as  if  they  were 
still  living,  breathing  human  beings.  The  painter 
endowed  them  with  the  magic  gift  of  immortality. 
Though  the  names  of  many  of  the  sitters  are  now 
forgotten,  and  we  know  little  or  nothing  of  their 
lives,  they  are  still  real  persons  to  us,  with  their  life 
history  written  on  their  faces. 

Such  is  the  man  called  Parma,  who  is  believed  to 
have  been  a  physician  of  Titian's  time,  but  whose 
only  biography  is  this  portrait.  If  we  were  told  that 
it  was  the  portrait  of  some  eminent  physician  now 
practising  in  New  York  or  London,  we  should  per- 
haps be  equally  ready  to  believe  it.  We  might  meet 
such  a  figure  in  our  streets  to-morrow.  There  is 
nothing  in  the  costume  to  mark  it  as  peculiar  to  any 
century  or  country.  The  black  gown  is  such  as  is 
still  worn  by  clergymen  and  university  men.  The 
man  would  not  have  to  be  pointed  out  to  us  as  a 


>   I 
a         t 


I      , 


Fr.  Hanfstaengl,  photo. 


John  Andrew  i  Son.  Sc. 


THE  PHYSICIAN  PARMA 
Vienna  Gallery 


THE  PHYSICIAN   PARMA  5 

celebrity  ;  we  should  know  him  at  once  as  a  person 
of  distinction. 

The  science  of  medicine  was  making  great  pro- 
gress during  the  sixteenth  century.  It  was  then 
that  the  subject  of  anatomy  was  first  developed  by 
the  celebrated  Fleming,  Vesalius,  court  physician  to 
Charles  V.1  In  this  period,  also,  the  science  of  chem- 
istry first  came  to  be  separated  from  alchemy,  and 
progressive  physicians  applied  the  new  learning  to 
their  practice. 

We  may  be  sure  that  our  Doctor  Parma  belonged 
to  the  most  enlightened  class  of  his  profession.  His 
strong:  intellectual  face  shows  him  to  be  one  who 
would  have  little  patience  with  quackery  or  supersti- 
tion. He  has  a  high,  noble  forehead,  keen,  pene- 
trating eyes,  and  a  firm  mouth.  His  beautiful  white 
hair  gives  him  a  venerable  aspect,  though  he  is  not 
of  great  age.  It  blows  about  his  face  as  fine  and 
light  as  gossamer.  He  is  an  ideal  "  family  physi- 
cian," of  a  generation  ago.  We  can  imagine  how 
children  would  learn  to  look  upon  him  with  love 
and  respect,  perhaps  also  with  a  little  wholesome 
fear. 

The  hand  which  holds  the  folds  of  the  long, 
black  gown  has  a  character  of  its  own  as  definite  as 
that  of  the  face.  It  is  a  strong,  firm  hand,  which 
looks  capable  of  guiding  skilfully  a  surgeon's  knife. 

1  As  the  various  so-called  portraits  of  Vesalius  are  said  to  have 
little  in  common  upon  which  to  base  a  resemblance,  one  is  almost 
tempted  to  set  up  a  theory  that  this  portrait  may  be  that  of  the  great 
anatomist. 


6  TITIAN 

Two  fine  seal  rings  ornament  it.  Such  rings,  some- 
times of  curious  design  and  workmanship,  were 
often  bestowed  as  gifts  by  wealthy  noblemen  upon 
those  who  had  done  them  some  service. 

The  doctor  Parma  looks  as  good  as  he  is  wise. 
This  benign  face  would  grace  an  assembly  of  nota- 
ble clergymen.  Indeed,  the  picture  suggests  a  well- 
known  portrait  of  the  great  John  Wesley,  whose 
features  were  cast  in  the  same  strong  mould,  and 
who  also  had  an  abundance  of  bushy  white  hair. 

By  another  play  of  the  fancy  we  could  imagine 
this  a  portrait  of  some  eminent  judge.  There  is 
that  in  the  face  which  indicates  the  calm,  impartial, 
deliberate  mind  that  belongs  to  the  character.  He 
might  now  be  about  to  charge  the  jury,  or  perhaps 
even  to  pronounce  sentence. 

Still  another  opinion  is  that  here  we  have  a  Vene- 
tian senator  in  his  official  robes.  The  man  is  in  any 
case  an  ideal  professional  man,  a  person  of  brains 
and  character,  who  could  fill  equally  well  a  position 
of  responsibility  in  medicine,  law,  administrative 
affairs,  or  divinity.  With  a  strict  sense  of  justice,  a 
stern  contempt  for  anything  mean  and  base,  and  a 
fatherly  tenderness  for  the  weak  and  oppressed,  he 
is  one  in  whom  we  could  safely  put  confidence. 


n 

THE    PRESENTATION    OF    THE    VIRGIN 

(Detail) 

In  the  town  of  Nazareth  many  centuries  ago  lived 
a  pious  old  couple,  named  Joachim  and  Anna.  It 
is  said  that  they  "  divided  all  their  substance  in  three 
parts  :  "  one  part "  for  the  temple/'  another  for  "  the 
poor  and  pilgrims,"  and  the  third  for  themselves. 
The  delight  of  their  old  age  was  their  only  child 
Mary,  who  afterwards  became  the  mother  of  Jesus. 
She  had  been  born,  as  they  believed,  in  answer  to 
their  prayers,  and  they  cherished  her  with  peculiar 
devotion. 

That  Mary  was  a  good  and  lovable  child  beyond 
common  measure  we  can  have  no  doubt :  she  was 
set  apart  for  a  strange  and  holy  service.  The  beau- 
tiful story  of  her  early  life  is  told  in  an  old  Latin 
book  called  the  "  Legenda  Aurea,"  or  the  "  Golden 
Legend."  This  was  a  collection  of  old  legends  writ- 
ten out  for  the  first  time  by  Jacopo  de  Voragine,  an 
Italian  archbishop  of  the  thirteenth  century.  The 
early  English  translation  by  Caxton,  in  which  we  still 
read  the  book,  preserves  the  quaint  flavor  of  the 
original.  There  is  one  portion  of  it  describing 
the  dedication,  or  presentation,  of  the  Virgin  in  the 


8  TITIAN 

temple.  Before  Mary  was  born,  the  mother,  Anna,  had 
promised  the  angel  of  the  Lord  that  she  would  pre- 
sent the  coming  child  as  an  offering  to  the  Lord. 
Long  before  her  day,  a  certain  Hannah  had  made  a 
like  vow  under  similar  circumstances.  Her  son  Sam- 
uel, a  "  child  obtained  by  petition,"  was  "  returned," 
or  "  lent,"  to  the  Lord  as  long  as  he  lived.1  A  child 
thus  dedicated  was  early  carried  to  the  temple  to  be 
educated  within  its  precincts  for  special  service  to 
God. 

The  presentation  of  Mary  was  on  this  wise : 
"  And  then  when  she  had  accomplished  the  time  of 
three  years  .  .  .  they  brought  her  to  the  temple  with 
offerings.  And  there  was  about  the  temple,  after 
the  fifteen  psalms  of  degrees,  fifteen  steps  or  grees 
to  ascend  up  to  the  temple,  because  the  temple  was 
high  set.  And  nobody  might  go  to  the  altar  of 
sacrifices  that  was  without,  but  by  the  degrees.  And 
then  our  Lady  was  set  on  the  lowest  step;  and 
mounted  up  without  any  help  as  she  had  been  of 
perfect  age,  and  when  they  had  performed  their 
offering,  they  left  their  daughter  in  the  temple  with 
the  other  virgins,  and  they  returned  into  their  place. 
And  the  Virgin  Mary  profited  every  day  in  all  holi- 
ness, and  was  visited  daily  by  angels,  and  had  every 
day  divine  visions." 2  We  see  at  once  the  picture 
there  is  in  the  story,  the  little  girl  ascending  alone 

1  1  Samuel,  chapter  i.,  verses  11,  24-28. 

2  The  Golden  Legend,  in  Caxton's  translation,  edited  by  F.  S.  Ellis 
(Temple  Classics,  vol.  v.,  pp.  101,  102).  The  story  is  retold  in  Mrs. 
Jameson's  Legends  of  the  Madonna,  p.  197. 


From  carbon  print  by  liruuu,  Lieuienc  Jc  Co. 


John  Andrew  &  Son,  So. 


THE  PRESENTATION  OF  THE  VIRGIN  (DETAIL) 
Venice  Academy 


THE  PRESENTATION  OF  THE  VIRGIN  11 

the  long  flight  of  steps,  with  the  fond  parents  gaz- 
ing after  her  in  wonder.  Many  artists  have  put  the 
subject  on  canvas,  and  among  them  our  Venetian 
painter  Titian.  His  is  an  immense  picture,  from 
which  the  central  figure  only  is  reproduced  in  our 
illustration. 

We  must  imagine  ourselves  standing  with  a  great 
throng  of  people  in  the  public  square  in  front  of  the 
temple.  Men,  women  and  children  jostle  one  an- 
other near  the  steps.  The  old  man  Joachim  and  his 
wife  Anna  are  easily  singled  out  among  the  number. 
The  windows  of  the  adjoining  palaces  are  full  of 
faces  looking  into  the  square.  A  group  of  senators 
stand  somewhat  apart,  looking  on.  An  old  peasant 
woman  with  a  basket  of  eggs  sits  in  the  shadow  of 
the  steps.  All  eyes  are  turned  towards  the  little 
child  who  is  walking  alone  up  the  great  stone  stair- 
case. On  the  topmost  step  the  high  priest  advances 
to  meet  her,  resplendent  in  his  rich  priestly  gar- 
ments. 

The  figure  of  the  little  Virgin  is  very  quaint  in  a 
long  gown  made  of  some  shimmering  blue  stuff. 
The  golden  hair  is  brushed  back  primly  and  woven 
into  a  heavy  braid,  whence  it  at  last  escapes  in 
beautiful  profusion.  It  would  be  hard  to  guess  the 
child's  age,  for  her  demeanor  is  that  of  a  little  wo- 
man as  she  gathers  her  long  skirt  daintily  in  her 
right  hand.  She  carries  herself  erect  in  the  new 
dignity  of  the  great  moment,  and  advances  with 
perfect  self-confidence.  The  face,  however,  is  quite 
childlike  and  innocent,  and  is  lifted  to  the  priest's 


12  TITIAN 

with  a  happy  smile.  The  left  arm  is  raised  in  a  ges- 
ture of  wonder  and  delight. 

The  whole  figure  is  surrounded  by  a  halo  of 
golden  light.  This  is  the  oval-shaped  glory  which 
the  Italians  call  the  mandorla,  from  the  word  mean- 
ing "  almond."  It  is  of  course  the  symbol  of  the 
virgin's  peculiar  sanctity.  The  painter  has  not  tried 
to  make  the  little  girl  particularly  pretty,  but  he 
gives  her  the  indescribable  charm  which  we  call  win- 
someness.  She  is  perhaps  one  of  the  most  lovable 
children  art  has  ever  produced. 

As  we  study  the  artist's  method  of  work  in  the 
picture  we  see  how  very  simply  the  figure  is  drawn. 
Titian  was  fond  of  rich  and  voluminous  draperies, 
as  we  shall  learn  from  several  examples  which  are  to 
follow.  Here,  however,  he  draws  a  dress  with  tight 
sleeves  and  scanty  skirt  absolutely  without  decora- 
tion of  any  sort.  It  is  this  simplicity  which  gives 
the  childlike  appearance  to  the  figure. 

There  is  a  pathos  in  the  little  figure  which  we  can- 
not altogether  appreciate  in  our  illustration.  We 
have  to  remember  that  the  whole  picture  measures 
twenty-five  feet  in  width  by  eleven  in  height,  and 
then  imagine  how  tiny  the  child  looks  ascending 
alone  the  great  staircase  in  the  centre  of  this  vast 
panorama.  The  isolation  of  the  figure  suggests  the 
singular  destiny  of  Mary,  set  apart  from  others  in 
the  loneliness  of  a  unique  service. 


Ill 

THE  EMPRESS  ISABELLA 

The  most  illustrious  of  Titian's  many  patrons  was 
the  Emperor  Charles  V.,  whose  wife  was  the  Empress 
Isabella  of  our  portrait.  This  powerful  monarch  had 
inherited  from  one  grandfather,  Ferdinand,  the 
kingdom  of  Spain,  and  from  another,  Maximilian, 
the  empire  of  Germany.  His  marriage  was  arranged 
chiefly  for  political  reasons,  but  proved  to  be  a  happy 
one. 

Isabella  was  the  daughter  of  Emmanuel  the  Great, 
late  King  of  Portugal,  and  the  sister  of  John  III., 
the  reigning  king.  She  was  a  princess  of  uncommon 
beauty  and  accomplishments.  The  Portuguese  gov- 
ernment bestowed  a  superb  dowry  of  nine  hundred 
thousand  crowns  upon  her,  and  the  marriage  was 
celebrated  in  Seville  in  1526.  The  ceremony  was 
splendid,  and  there  were  great  festivities  following. 

Soon  after,  the  emperor  travelled  with  his  bride 
through  Andalusia  and  Granada  that  he  might  see 
his  new  kingdom.  Called  at  last  to  other  parts  of 
his  dominion,  he  left  Isabella  as  regent  in  Spain,  and 
went  to  Italy,  where  in  1532  he  first  called  Titian 
into  service  to  paint  his  portrait.  In  the  years  that 
followed  the  painter  found  the  emperor  a  constant 
and  generous  patron,  and  was  frequently  summoned 


14  TITIAN 

to  meet  the  court  at  various  places.  In  the  mean- 
time, however,  the  lovely  empress  never  had  had  a 
sitting  to  the  first  painter  of  the  day.  She  stayed 
quietly  at  home  and  had  her  portrait  painted  by 
such  inferior  artists  as  were  at  hand. 

When  she  died  in  1539  Charles  was  left  disconso- 
late, without  any  satisfactory  portrait  of  her  beloved 
face.  He  accordingly  sent  to  Titian  a  portrait  of 
her  painted  at  the  age  of  twenty-four,  and  required 
him  to  use  it  as  the  basis  of  a  picture.  The  painter 
obeyed,  and  soon  sent,  his  royal  patron  two  can- 
vases, begging  him  to  return  them  with  criticisms  if 
he  wished  any  changes  made.  As  they  were  never 
sent  back  we  infer  that  Charles  found  them  as  much 
like  the  original  as  could  have  been  expected.  The 
fame  of  Isabella's  beauty  and  goodness  had  of  course 
come  to  the  painter's  knowledge,  and  this  was  per- 
haps a  better  inspiration  than  the  old  portrait  which 
was  his  guide.  Certainly  the  picture  he  produced 
shows  a  winning  personality. 

The  empress  is  seated  near  a  window,  holding  a 
little  book  open  in  one  hand,  probably  a  prayer-book 
or  Book  of  Hours.  The  lady  is  not  reading,  but 
gazes  somewhat  pensively  before  her,  as  if  thinking 
over  the  familiar  words.  The  face  is  gentle  and  re- 
fined, and  has  an  innocent  purity  of  expression  like 
that  of  a  child. 

The  features  are  small,  and  modelled  with  an  al- 
most doll-like  regularity.  Yet  the  mouth  is  set  firmly 
enough  to  indicate  a  strong  will  behind  it.  Isabella 
was  indeed  a  woman  of  remarkable  self-control.     A 


From  carbon  print  Kjr  Braun.  Clement  i  Co. 


Jonii  An-  r.  w  s  >,m.  Sc. 


THE  EMPRESS  ISABELLA 
Prado  Gallery,  Madrid 


THE  EMPRESS  ISABELLA  17 

story  is  told  that  once  when  ill  and  in  great  pain 
she  turned  her  face  in  the  shadow  that  none  might 
see  her  suffer,  and  uttered  no  sound  of  complaining. 
Her  nurses  remonstrated,  but  she  replied  firmly, 
"  Die  I  may,  but  wail  I  will  not." 

The  costume  of  a  Spanish  queen  of  the  sixteenth 
century  naturally  interests  us.  Apparently  Spanish 
Court  etiquette  of  the  period  dictated  a  dress  made 
with  high  neck  and  long  sleeves.  The  bodice  is  of 
red  velvet,  the  loose  sleeves  lined  with  satin.  The 
under  bodice,  which  we  should  call  a  guimpe,  is  of 
white  muslin  with  gold  fillets.  A  jewel  adorns  the 
red  hair,  and  a  long  necklace  of  pearls  is  caught  on 
the  bosom  with  a  pendant  of  rubies  and  emeralds. 
The  careful  dressing  of  the  hair,  the  strict  propriety 
of  the  gown,  and  the  attitude  of  the  queen  herself 
suggest  the  regard  of  conventionality  which  gov- 
erned the  great  lady. 

What  the  portrait  lacks  is  the  quality  of  lifelike- 
ness  which  makes  other  pictures  by  Titian  so  won- 
derful.1 Naturally  the  painter  could  not  so  easily 
impart  vitality  to  the  picture  when  not  working 
directly  from  the  living  model.  To  make  up,  as  it 
were,  for  this  defect,  he  painted  the  various  textures 
of  the  dress  with  marvellous  skill.  Satin,  velvet,  and 
muslin,  each  is  distinguished  by  its  own  peculiar 
lustre. 

The  bit  of  landscape  seen  through  the  window  is 
another  beautiful  part  of  the  picture.  The  distance 
gives   depth    to   the   composition    and    avoids   the 

1  For  instance,  Lavinia,  Flora,  and  the  Man  with  the  Glove. 


18  TITIAN 

crowded  effect  it  might  otherwise  have.  We  shall 
see  a  similar  setting  again  in  the  portrait  of  La- 
vinia. 

The  Emperor  had  been  very  fond  of  his  wife,  and 
an  old  historian  says  that  "he  treated  her  on  all 
occasions  with  much  distinction  and  regard."  If 
this  seems  nothing  surprising  to  note,  we  must 
remember  that  at  the  same  period  Henry  VIII.  of 
England  was  treating  his  queens  quite  differently. 

In  the  last  years  of  his  life  Charles  V.,  weary  of 
the  cares  of  government,  relinquished  his  kingdom 
to  his  son.  He  retired  to  the  convent  of  Yuste  to 
end  his  days,  taking  with  him  this  portrait  of  his 
wife.  When  he  lay  on  his  death-bed  he  asked  to 
see  the  picture,  and  when  at  last  he  died  his  body 
was  laid  to  rest  beside  Isabella.  Their  son,  Philip  II., 
whose  portrait  we  are  presently  to  study,  succeeded 
to  a  portion  of  his  father's  dominion. 


IV 

MADONNA  AND  CHILD  WITH  SAINTS 

There  was  never  a  child  so  longed  for  as  the 
Child  Jesus,  and  none  whose  infancy  has  been  held 
in  such  loving  remembrance.  Centuries  before  his 
birth  the  prophets  of  Israel  preached  to  the  people 
of  his  coming.  Year  after  year  men  waited  eagerly 
for  One  who  would  teach  them  the  way  of  righteous- 
ness. On  the  night  when  he  was  born  the  angels 
of  heaven  appeared  in  the  sky  with  the  glad  tidings. 
His  birthday  ushered  in  a  new  era. 

We  all  know  the  story  of  his  infancy  in  the  Beth- 
lehem manger,  of  his  boyhood  in  the  little  town  of 
Nazareth,  of  the  years  of  his  ministry  throughout 
Judea,  and  of  his  crucifixion  on  Calvary.  The 
narrative  of  his  life  was  written  by  the  four  evangel- 
ists, and  has  been  told  in  nearly  every  part  of  the 
world. 

Many  of  the  great  painters  have  drawn  the  sub- 
jects of  their  best  pictures  from  the  story  in  the 
Gospels.  A  favorite  subject  has  been  the  mother 
Mary  holding  the  Babe  in  her  arms,  as  in  our  illus- 
tration. To  understand  why  the  other  figures  are 
included  in  the  scene,  a  few  words  of  explanation 
are  necessary. 

In  the  early  days  of  Christianity  the  followers  of 


20  TITIAN 

the  new  faith  had  to  endure  great  persecutions,  and 
many  laid  down  their  lives  for  their  Master.  The 
religious  liberty  we  enjoy  to-day  is  due  to  the  cour- 
age and  loyalty  of  these  early  saints  and  martyrs. 
Much,  too,  is  due  to  the  work  of  those  teachers  who 
are  called  the  Fathers  of  the  church.  These  saints 
and  heroes  of  the  olden  time  have  been  honored  in 
art  and  song  and  story.  It  is  fitting  to  associate 
their  memory  with  that  of  him  to  whom  they  gave 
their  lives.  This  is  the  reason  why  in  pictures  of 
the  Mother  and  Child  Jesus  we  often  see  them 
standing  by. 

Such  pictures  do  not  represent  any  actual  histor- 
ical event.  The  various  persons  represented  may  not 
even  be  contemporaries.  It  is  in  a  devotional  and 
not  a  literal  sense  that  they  worship  the  Christ 
child  together. 

In  our  picture  the  Mother  tends  her  Babe  at  one 
side  while  three  saints  form  an  attendant  company. 
The  nearest  is  St.  Stephen,  the  young  man  "  full  of 
faith  and  power,"  who  did  "  great  wonders  and  mira- 
cles among  the  people  "  of  Jerusalem  in  the  apostolic 
days.  When  false  witnesses  accused  him  of  blas- 
phemy his  face  was  like  "  the  face  of  an  angel." 
Nevertheless,  when  his  accusers  heard  his  defence 
they  were  angry  at  his  frank  denunciations,  and 
casting  him  out  of  the  city,  stoned  him  to  death.1 

The  old  man  standing  next  is  St.  Jerome,  one  of 
the  Latin  fathers  of  the  fourth  century.  He  was 
both  a  preacher  and  a  writer,  and  his  greatest  service 

1  See  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  chapters  vi.  and  vii. 


-  ^ 


z  .? 


MADONNA  AND   CHILD   WITH   SAINTS  23 

to  the  world  was  his  translation  of  the  Bible  into 
Latin  (the  Vulgate).  This  is  the  book  from  which 
he  is  now  reading,  and  St.  George  seems  to  look 
over  his  shoulder.  St.  George  is  the  hero  saint  who 
rescued  the  princess  Cleodolinda  from  the  dragon. 
He  suffered  many  tortures  at  the  orders  of  the  Em- 
peror Diocletian,  and  was  finally  beheaded  for  his 
faith.1 

We  learn  to  identify  these  and  other  saints  in  the 
old  pictures  by  certain  features  which  the  masters 
long  ago  agreed  upon  as  appropriate  to  the  charac- 
ters. St.  Stephen  we  recognize  here  because  he  is 
young,  and  carries  a  palm  as  the  symbol  of  his  mar- 
tyrdom. St.  Jerome  is  always  an  old  man  and  is 
known  here  by  his  book,  and  St.  George  is  distin- 
guished by  his  armor. 

The  three  make  an  interesting  group  as  they 
represent  three  ages  of  man,  —  youth,  maturity,  and 
old  age.  They  stand,  too,  for  distinctly  different 
temperaments.  St.  Stephen  has  the  ardent  imagina- 
tive nature  of  a  dreamer,  St.  George  the  active  pro- 
saic temper  of  the  warrior,  and  St.  Jerome  the  grave 
contemplative  mind  of  the  scholar.  Each  serves 
the  Christ  with  his  own  gift. 

In  the  picture  the  three  seem  to  be  reading  to- 
gether some  passage  referring  to  the  birth  of  Christ, 

1  The  lives  of  St.  Jerome  and  St.  George  are  related  in  detail  in 
The  Golden  Legend.  See  Caxton's  translation  edited  by  F.  S.  Ellis 
(Temple  Classics),  vol.  v.,  pages  199-208,  for  St.  Jerome,  vol.  iii., 
pages  125-134,  for  St.  George.  Mrs.  Jameson's  Sacred  and  Legend- 
ary Art  contains  condensed  accounts  of  the  same  two  saints.  See 
page  280  for  St.  Jerome  and  page  391  for  St.  George. 


24  TITIAN 

perhaps  that  glorious  verse  from  the  prophet  Isaiah, 
"  Unto  us  a  child  is  born,  unto  us  a  son  is  given." 
Coming  to  the  words  "  Wonderful,  Counsellor,"  St. 
Stephen  lifts  his  face  adoringly. 

The  Child  is  innocently  unconscious  of  his  grave 
guests.  He  lies  across  his  mother's  lap  kicking  his 
feet  gleefully  and  looking  up  to  her  with  a  playful, 
appealing  gesture.  She  bends  over  him  smiling,  and 
the  two  seem  to  talk  together  in  the  mystic  language 
of  babyhood.  The  artist,  we  see,  painted  the  mother 
as  beautiful  and  the  child  as  winsome  as  he  could 
well  imagine  them.  He  did  not  try  to  discover  how 
a  woman  of  Judea  was  likely  to  have  looked  centu- 
ries before.  He  preferred  to  think  of  Mary  as  one 
of  the  beautiful  Venetian  women  of  his  own  day. 
He  may  have  seen  some  real  mother  and  babe  who 
suggested  the  picture  to  him,  but  in  that  case  he 
painted  them  largely  according  to  his  own  fancy. 
The  Madonna's  dress  is  not  according  to  any  Vene- 
tian fashions,  but  in  the  simple  style  chosen  as  most 
appropriate  by  old  masters.  Red  and  blue  were  the 
colors  always  used  in  her  draperies,  and  it  was  also 
an  ancient  custom  to  represent  her  as  wearing  a  veil 
over  her  head  as  befitting  her  modesty. 

The  mother  has  the  fresh  comely  look  of  perfect 
health,  yet  with  much  delicacy  and  refinement  in 
her  gentle  face.  Both  she  and  the  babe  seem  to 
rejoice  in  abounding  health  and  vitality.  The  pic- 
ture is  full  of  the  joy  of  life. 


PHILIP    II 

Philip  II.  was  the  son  of  the  Emperor  Charles  V. 
and  the  Empress  Isabella,  whose  portrait  we  have 
seen.  He  had  therefore,  like  most  princes,  a  union  of 
several  nationalities  in  his  lineage.  Upon  his  birth 
in  1527,  all  Spain  rejoiced  that  there  was  now  an  heir 
to  the  throne.  Charles  himself  counted  eagerly  upon 
the  help  his  son  would  give  him  in  the  administration 
of  his  vast  dominions. 

From  the  first  Philip  was  a  grave  and  thoughtful 
child,  pursuing  his  studies  first  with  his  mother  and 
then  with  a  tutor.  When  he  was  twelve  years  old 
his  mother  died ;  and  two  years  later  his  father,  who 
had  scarcely  seen  the  boy,  returned  to  Spain,  and 
devoted  himself  for  a  while  to  teaching  him  the 
principles  of  government.  Philip  was  an  apt  pupil, 
and  showed  great  fondness  for  statesmanship. 

At  the  age  of  sixteen  a  great  responsibility  fell  upon 
the  young  prince.  Charles  was  called  to  Germany 
and  left  Philip  as  regent  of  Spain.  A  marriage  had 
already  been  arranged  between  the  youth  and  his 
cousin  Mary  of  Portugal,  and  this  took  place  soon 
after  the  Emperor's  departure.  Philip's  regency  was 
eminently  successful,  and  he  won  the  lasting  affection 
and  loyalty  of  the  Spanish  people. 


26  TITIAN 

The  Emperor  now  planned  that  the  prince  should 
make  a  journey  through  the  empire  to  become  ac- 
quainted with  his  future  subjects.  The  Spanish 
parted  with  him  reluctantly,  and  he  set  forth  ac- 
companied by  a  great  train  of  courtiers.  Six  months 
he  was  on  his  way,  everywhere  greeted  by  festivals, 
banquets  and  tourneys.  Philip,  being  of  a  reticent 
and  sombre  nature,  had  little  taste  for  these  festivi- 
ties, but  having  political  ambition,  submitted  as 
gracefully  as  possible.  At  length  he  made  a  state 
entry  into  Brussels.  This  was  in  1548 ;  and  in  the 
two  years  that  followed,  the  emperor  and  prince  were 
together,  planning  their  future  policy  of  govern- 
ment. The  lessons  which  Charles  most  deeply  im- 
pressed upon  Philip  were  those  of  self-repression, 
patience  and  distrust.  The  leading  element  in  his 
policy  was  to  be  absolute  ruler. 

It  was  at  the  close  of  these  two  years,  that  is,  in 
1550,  that  the  emperor,  attending  a  diet  in  Augs- 
burg, summoned  thither  Titian  to  paint  the  portrait 
of  Philip.  The  prince  was  now  in  his  twenty-fourth 
year,  and  stood,  as  it  were,  on  the  threshold  of  his 
great  career.  There  could  scarcely  be  a  more  un- 
attractive subject  for  a  portrait.  Philip  had  a  poor 
figure,  with  narrow  chest  and  large  ungainly  feet, 
and  his  features  were  exceedingly  ill-formed.  His 
eyes  were  large  and  bulging,  he  had  a  projecting  jaw 
and  full  fleshy  lips  which  his  scanty  beard  could  not 
conceal.  Titian,  however,  had  the  great  artist's  gift 
of  making  the  most  of  a  subject.  We  forget  all 
Philip's  defects  when  we  look  at  this  magnificent 
portrait. 


From  carbon  print  bj  Braun,  Clement  A:  Co. 


John  Andrew  £  Son,  Sc. 


PHILIP  II. 

Prado  Gallery,  Madrid 


PHILIP  II  29 

The  skill  with  which  the  splendid  costume  is 
painted  would  alone  make  the  picture  a  great  work 
of  art.  Philip  wears  a  breastplate  and  hip  pieces 
of  armor,  richly  inlaid  with  gold,  slashed  embroid- 
ered hose,  as  the  short  trousers  are  called,  white  silk 
tights  and  white  slippers.  The  collar  of  the  Golden 
Fleece  is  the  crowning  ornament. 

The  attitude  of  the  prince  is  full  of  dignity.  He 
stands  in  front  of  a  table  on  which  his  helmet  and 
gauntlets  are  laid.  The  right  hand  rests  on  the 
helmet,  and  the  left  holds  the  hilt  of  the  rapier 
which  hangs  at  his  side. 

The  most  remarkable  quality  in  the  portrait  is  the 
impression  of  royalty  it  conveys.  Though  Philip 
has  little  to  boast  of  in  good  looks,  he  has  inherited 
from  generations  of  royal  ancestors  that  indefinable 
air  of  distinction  which  belongs  to  his  station.  It 
is  this  which  the  painter  has  expressed  in  his  attitude 
and  bearing. 

Young  as  the  face  is,  with  little  of  life's  experience 
to  give  it  individuality,  the  painter  makes  it  a  reve- 
lation of  the  leading  elements  in  Philip's  character. 
The  seriousness  of  the  boy  has  developed  into  the 
habitual  gravity  of  the  man.  Already  we  see  how 
well  the  father's  lessons  have  been  learned,  how  self- 
contained  and  cautious  the  prince  has  become.  The 
affairs  of  state  seem  to  weigh  heavily  upon  him. 

The  proportions  of  the  figure  to  the  size  and 
shape  of  the  canvas  add  something  to  the  apparent 
height  of  Philip.  Titian  has  done  everything  a 
painter  could  do  to  give  an  ill-favored  prince  an 


30  TITIAN 

appearance  befitting  his  royal  prestige :  it  is  a  kingly 
portrait. 

Three  years  after  it  was  painted,  the  picture  was 
sent  to  England  to  be  shown  to  Queen  Mary.  Philip, 
now  a  widower,  had  become  a  suitor  of  the  English 
queen.  The  report  came  that  Mary  was  "greatly 
enamoured"  of  the  portrait,  and  the  marriage  was 
soon  after  effected.  Philip,  however,  did  not  win 
great  favor  with  the  English,  and  after  Mary's  death 
he  chose  a  French  princess  for  his  next  wife,  and 
spent  his  life  in  Spain. 

Upon  the  abdication  of  his  father,  he  became  the 
most  powerful  monarch  in  Europe,  and  had  the  best 
armies  of  his  time.  He  was  constantly  at  war  with 
other  nations,  usually  two  or  more  at  a  time,  and  by 
undertaking  too  many  schemes  often  failed.  It  was 
during  his  reign  that  the  Netherlands  were  lost  to 
Spain,  and  the  famous  Spanish  Armada  was  destroyed 
by  the  English. 


VI 

SAINT    CHRISTOPHER 

There  was  once  in  the  land  of  Canaan  a  giant 
named  Offero,  which  means  "the  bearer.' '  His 
colossal  size  and  tremendous  strength  made  him  an 
object  of  terror  to  all  beholders,  and  he  determined 
to  serve  none  but  the  most  powerful  being  in  the 
world. 

He  accordingly  joined  the  retinue  of  a  great  king, 
and  for  a  while  all  went  well.  One  day  while  listen- 
ing to  a  minstrel's  song,  the  king  trembled  and 
crossed  himself  every  time  the  singer  mentioned  the 
Devil.  "  Then,"  thought  Offero,  "  there  is  one  more 
powerful  than  the  King  ;  and  he  it  is  whom  I  should 
serve."  So  he  went  in  search  of  the  Devil,  and  soon 
entered  the  ranks  of  his  army. 

One  day  as  they  came  to  a  wayside  cross  he  noticed 
his  master  tremble  and  turn  aside.  "  Then,"  thought 
Offero,  "  there  is  one  more  powerful  than  the  Devil, 
and  he  it  is  whom  I  should  serve."  He  now  learned 
that  this  greater  being  whom  the  Devil  feared  was 
Jesus,  who  died  on  the  cross,  and  he  earnestly  sought 
to  know  the  new  Master. 

An  old  hermit  undertook  to  instruct  him  in  the 
faith.  "  You  must  fast,"  said  he.  "  That  I  will 
not,"  said  Offero,  "  lest  I  lose  my  strength."    "  You 


32  TITIAN 

must  pray,"  said  the  hermit.  "  That  I  cannot,"  said 
Offero.  "  Then,"  said  the  hermit,  "  go  to  the  river 
side  and  save  those  who  perish  in  the  stream." 
"  That  I  will,"  said  Offero  joyfully. 

The  giant  built  him  a  hut  on  the  bank  and  rooted 
up  a  palm  tree  from  the  forest  to  use  as  a  staff.  Day 
and  night  he  guided  strangers  across  the  ford  and 
carried  the  weak  on  his  shoulders.  He  never  wea- 
ried of  his  labor. 

One  night  as  he  rested  in  his  hut  he  heard  a 
child's  voice  calling  to  him  from  the  shore,  "  Offero, 
come  forth,  and  carry  me  over."  He  arose  and  went 
out,  but  seeing  nothing  returned  and  lay  down. 
Again  the  voice  called,  "  Offero,  come  forth  and  carry 
me  over."  Again  he  went  out  and  saw  no  one.  A 
third  time  the  voice  came,  "  Offero,  come  forth,  and 
carry  me  over." 

The  giant  now  took  a  lantern,  and  by  its  light 
found  a  little  child  sitting  on  the  bank,  repeating  the 
cry,  "  Offero,  carry  me  over."  Offero  lifted  the  child 
to  his  great  shoulders,  and  taking  his  staff  strode 
into  the  river.  The  wind  blew,  the  waves  roared, 
and  the  water  rose  higher  and  higher,  yet  the  giant 
pushed  bravely  on.  The  burden  which  had  at  first 
seemed  so  light  grew  heavier  and  heavier.  Offero's 
strong  knees  bent  under  him,  and  it  seemed  as  if  he 
would  sink  beneath  the  load.  Yet  on  he  pressed 
with  tottering  steps,  never  complaining,  until  at  last 
the  farther  bank  was  reached.  Here  he  set  his  pre- 
cious burden  gently  down,  and  looking  with  wonder 
at  the  child,  asked,  "  Who  art  thou,  child  ?     The 


SAINT    CHRISTOPHER 


SAINT  CHRISTOPHER  35 

burden  of  the  world  had  not  been  heavier."  "  Won- 
der not,"  said  the  Child,  "  for  thou  hast  borne  on 
thy  shoulders  him  who  made  the  world."  Then  a 
bright  light  shone  about  the  little  face,  and  in  an- 
other moment  the  mysterious  stranger  had  vanished. 
Thus  was  it  made  known  to  Gffero  that  he  had  been 
taken  into  the  service  of  the  most  powerful  being  in 
the  world.  From  this  time  forth  he  was  known  as 
Christ-offero,  or  Christopher,  the  Christ-bearer.1 

With  this  story  in  mind  we  readily  see  the  mean- 
ing of  our  picture.  The  giant  has  reached  mid- 
stream, with  his  tiny  passenger  perched  astride  his 
shoulders.  Already  the  burden  has  become  myste- 
riously heavy,  and  Offero  bends  forward  to  support 
the  strain,  staying  himself  with  his  great  staff.  He 
lifts  his  face  to  the  child's  with  an  expression  of 
mingled  anguish  and  wonder. 

The  situation  is  full  of  strange  pathos.  The  babe 
seems  so  small  and  helpless  beside  the  splendid 
muscular  strength  of  the  brawny  giant.  Yet  he  is 
here  the  leader.  With  uplifted  hand  he  seems  to 
be  cheering  his  bearer  on  the  toilsome  way. 

The  figures  in  the  picture  seem  to  be  taken  from 
common  every-day  life.  Some  Venetian  boatman 
may  have  been  the  painter's  model  for  St.  Christo- 
pher, whose  attitude  is  similar  to  that  of  a  gondolier 
plying  his  oar.  The  child,  too,  is  a  child  of  the  peo- 
ple, a  sturdy  little  fellow,  quite  at  ease  in  his  peril- 
ous position.     We  shall  understand  better  the  range 

1  See  the  story  as  related  in  Mrs.  Jameson's  Sacred  and  Legendary 
Art,  page  433,  and  in  H.  E.  Scudder's  Book  of  Legends. 


36  TITIAN 

of  Titian's  art  by  contrasting  these  more  common- 
place figures  with  the  refined  and  elegant  types  we 
see  in  some  of  our  other  illustrations. 

The  picture  of  St.  Christopher  is  a  fresco  paint- 
ing on  the  walls  of  the  palace  of  the  doges  or  dukes 
in  Venice.  It  was  originally  designed  to  celebrate 
the  arrival  of  the  French  army  in  1523,  at  an  Ital- 
ian town  called  San  Cristoforo.  It  is  so  placed  that 
it  might  be  the  first  object  seen  every  morning  when 
the  doge  left  his  bed-chamber.  This  was  on  account 
of  an  old  tradition  that  the  sight  of  St.  Christopher 
always  gives  courage  to  the  beholder.  "  Whoever 
shall  behold  the  image  of  St.  Christopher,  on  that 
day  shall  not  faint  or  fail,"  runs  an  old  Latin 
inscription. 

As  fresco  painting  was  a  method  of  art  compara- 
tively unfamiliar  to  Titian,  it  is  interesting  to  know 
than  an  eminent  critic  pronounces  our  picture 
"  broad  and  solid  in  execution,  rich  and  brilliant  in 
color."1  We  see  from  our  reproduction  that  the 
paint  has  flaked  from  the  wall  in  a  few  places. 

1  Claude  Phillips. 


VII 

LAVINIA 

Something  of  the  home  life  of  Titian  must  be 
known  in  order  to  understand  the  loving  care  which 
he  bestowed  upon  this  portrait  of  his  daughter  Lavinia. 
The  painter's  works  were  in  such  demand  that  he 
could  afford  to  live  in  a  costly  manner.  He  had  a 
true  Venetian's  love  of  luxury,  and  liked  to  surround 
himself  with  elegant  things.  His  society  was  sought 
by  rich  noblemen,  and  he  himself  lived  like  a  prince. 

When  somewhat  over  fifty  years  of  age  Titian 
removed  to  a  spot  just  outside  Venice  in  the  district 
of  Biri,  where  he  laid  out  a  beautiful  garden.  The 
view  from  Casa  Grande,  as  the  house  was  called, 
was  very  extensive,  looking  across  the  lagoon  to 
the  island  of  Murano  and  the  hills  of  Ceneda.  Here 
Titian  entertained  his  guests  with  lavish  hospitality. 
A  distinguished  scholar  of  that  time,  one  Priscia- 
nese,  who  had  come  to  Venice  in  1540  to  publish  a 
grammar,  describes  how  he  was  entertained  there : 
"Before  the  tables  were  set  out,"  he  writes,  .  .  . 
"  we  spent  the  time  in  looking  at  the  lively  figures 
in  the  excellent  pictures,  of  which  the  house  was 
full,  and  in  discussing  the  real  beauty  and  charm  of 
the  garden.  ...  In  the  meanwhile  came  the  hour 
for  supper,  which  was  no  less  beautiful  and  well 


38  TITIAN 

arranged  than  copious  and  well  provided.  Besides 
the  most  delicate  viands  and  precious  wines,  there 
were  all  those  pleasures  and  amusements  that  are 
suited  to  the  season,  the  guests  and  the  feast.  .  .  . 
The  sea,  as  soon  as  the  sun  went  down,  swarmed 
with  gondolas,  adorned  with  beautiful  women,  and 
resounded  with  the  varied  harmony  of  music  of 
voices  and  instruments,  which  till  midnight  accom- 
panied our  delightful  supper." 

The  darling  of  this  beautiful  home  at  Casa 
Grande  was  the  painter's  daughter  Lavinia,  and  the 
portrait  shows  how  she  looked  in  1549.  Her  mo- 
ther had  died  before  the  removal  of  the  family  to 
Biri,  and  the  aunt,  who  had  since  tried  to  fill  the 
vacant  place,  died  about  the  time  this  portrait  was 
painted.  A  new  responsibility  had  therefore  fallen 
upon  the  young  girl,  and  she  was  now  her  father's 
chief  consolation.  It  is  thought  that  the  picture 
was  painted  for  Titian's  friend  Argentina  Pallavicino 
of  Reggio.  As  a  guest  at  her  father's  house  this 
gentleman  must  often  have  seen  and  admired  the 
charming  girl,  and  the  portrait  was  a  pleasant  sou- 
venir of  his  visits. 

Lavinia  is  seen  carrying  a  silver  salver  of  fruit, 
turning,  as  she  goes,  to  look  over  her  shoulder.  The 
open  country  stretches  before  her,  and  it  is  as  if  she 
were  stepping  from  a  portico  of  the  house  to  the  gar- 
den terrace  to  bring  the  fruit  to  some  guest.  She  is 
handsomely  dressed,  as  her  father  would  like  to  see 
his  daughter.  The  gown  is  of  yellow  flowered  bro- 
cade, the  bodice  edged  with  jewelled  cording.    Over 


Fr.  Hanfstaengl,  photo. 


JohD  Andrew  &  Son,  Sc. 


LAVINIA 

Berlin  Gallery 


LAVINIA  41 

the  neck  is  thrown  a  delicate  scarf  of  some  gauzy 
stuff,  the  ends  floating  down  in  front.  An  orna- 
mental gold  tiara  is  set  on  the  wavy  auburn  hair,  an 
ear-ring  hangs  from  the  pretty  ear,  and  a  string  of 
pearls  encircles  the  neck.  Imagine  the  figure  against 
a  deep  red  curtain,  and  you  have  in  mind  the  whole 
color  scheme  of  this  richly  decorative  picture. 

Lavinia,  however,  would  be  attractive  in  any  dress, 
with  her  fresh  young  beauty  and  simple  unconscious 
grace.  Her  features  are  not  modelled  in  classic  lines  : 
the  charm  of  the  face  is  its  fresh  color,  the  pretty 
curves  of  the  plump  cheek,  and,  above  all,  the  sweet 
open  expression.  The  hands  are  delicate  and  shapely, 
as  of  one  well  born  and  gently  reared.  Lavinia  is 
perhaps  not  a  very  intellectual  person,  but  she  has 
a  sweet  sunny  nature  and  is  full  of  life  and  spirits. 
It  would  seem  impossible  to  be  sad  or  lonely  in  her 
cheery  company.  She  holds  her  precious  burden 
high,  with  an  air  of  triumph,  and  turns  with  a  smile 
to  see  it  duly  admired.  The  delicious  fruit  certainly 
makes  a  tempting  display.  The  girl's  innocent  round 
face  and  arch  pose  remind  one  of  a  playful  kitten. 

The  painter  has  chosen  a  graceful  and  unusual 
attitude.  The  curves  of  the  outstretched  arms  serve 
as  counterbalancing  lines  to  the  main  lines  of  the 
figure.  The  artist  himself  was  so  pleased  with  the 
pose  that  he  repeated  it  in  another  picture,  where 
Lavinia  assumes  the  gruesome  role  of  Salome,  and 
carries  in  her  salver,  in  place  of  the  fruit,  the  head 
of  St.  John  the  Baptist ! 

A  few  years  after  our  portrait  was  painted,  Lavinia 


42  TITIAN 

was  betrothed  to  Cornelio  Sarcinelli,  of  Serravalle, 
and  a  new  portrait  was  painted  in  honor  of  the 
event.  When  the  marriage  settlement  was  signed 
Lavinia  brought  her  husband  a  dowry  of  fourteen 
hundred  ducats,  a  royal  sum  in  those  days.  The 
wedding  was  on  the  19th  of  June,  1555. 

Some  years  after  her  marriage  Lavinia  again  sat 
to  her  father  for  her  portrait.  Her  beauty,  as  we 
have  noted,  was  not  of  a  lasting  kind,  and  in  the 
passing  years  her  fresh  color  faded,  and  she  became 
far  too  stout  for  grace.  Yet  the  frank  nature  always 
made  her  attractive,  and  it  is  pleasant  to  see  in  the 
kindly  face  the  fulfilment  of  the  happy  promise  of 
her  girlhood. 


VIII 

CHRIST    OF   THE    TRIBUTE    MONEY 

During  the  three  years  of  Christ's  ministry,  his 
words  and  actions  were  closely  watched  by  his  ene- 
mies, who  hoped  to  find  some  fault  of  which  they 
could  accuse  him.  Not  a  flaw  could  be  seen  in  that 
blameless  life,  and  it  was  only  by  some  trick  that 
they  could  get  him  into  their  power. 

One  plan  that  they  devised  was  very  cunning. 
Palestine  was  at  that  time  a  province  of  the  Roman 
empire,  and  the  popular  party  among  the  Jews  chafed 
at  having  to  pay  tribute  to  the  emperor  Csesar.  On 
the  other  hand  the  presence  of  the  Roman  governor 
in  Jerusalem  made  it  dangerous  to  express  any  open 
rebellion.  Jesus  was  the  friend  of  the  people,  and 
many  of  his  followers  believed  that  he  would  even- 
tually lead  them  to  throw  off  the  Roman  yoke.  As 
a  matter  of  fact,  however,  he  had  taken  no  part  in 
political  discussions. 

His  enemies  now  determined  to  make  him  commit 
himself  to  one  party  or  the  other.  If  he  declared 
himself  for  Rome,  his  popularity  was  lost ;  if  against 
Rome  he  was  liable  to  arrest.  The  evangelists 
relate  how  shrewdly  their  question  was  framed  to 
force  a  compromising  reply,  and  how  completely  he 


44  TITIAN 

silenced  them  with  his  twofold  answer.  This  is  the 
story :  — 

"  Then  went  the  Pharisees,  and  took  counsel  how 
they  might  entangle  him  in  his  talk.  And  they 
sent  out  unto  him  their  disciples  with  the  Herodians, 
saying,  Master,  we  know  that  thou  art  true,  and 
teachest  the  way  of  God  in  truth,  neither  carest  thou 
for  any  man :  for  thou  regardest  not  the  person  of 
men.  Tell  us  therefore,  What  thinkest  thou?  Is 
it  lawful  to  give  tribute  unto  Caesar,  or  not  ? 

"  But  Jesus  perceived  their  wickedness,  and  said, 
Why  tempt  ye  me,  ye  hypocrites?  Shew  me  the 
tribute  money.  And  they  brought  unto  him  a 
penny.  And  he  saith  unto  them,  Whose  is  this 
image  and  superscription?  They  say  unto  him, 
Caesar's.  Then  saith  he  unto  them,  Render,  there- 
fore, unto  Caesar  the  things  which  are  Caesar's ;  and 
unto  God  the  things  that  are  God's.  When  they 
had  heard  these  words,  they  marvelled  and  left  him, 
and  went  their  way." 1 

That  was  indeed  a  wonderful  scene,  and  it  is 
made  quite  real  to  us  in  our  picture :  Christ  and  the 
Pharisee  stand  face  to  face,  engaged  in  conversation. 
A  wily  old  fellow  has  been  chosen  spokesman  for 
his  party.  His  bronzed  skin  and  hairy  muscular 
arm  show  him  to  be  of  a  common  class  of  laborers. 
The  face  is  seamed  with  toil,  and  he  has  the  hooked, 
aquiline  nose  of  his  race.  As  he  peers  into  the  face 
of  his  supposed  dupe,  his  expression  is  full  of  low 
cunning  and  hypocrisy.  He  holds  between  thumb 
1  Matthew,  chapter  xxii.,  verses  34-40. 


From  carbon  print  bj  Braun.  Clement  &  Co. 

CHRIST  OF  THE  TRIBUTE  MONEY 
Dresden  Gallery 


John  Andrew  i  Son.  Sc. 


CHRIST  OF  THE  TRIBUTE  MONEY  47 

and  forefinger  the  Roman  coin  which  Christ  has 
called  for,  and  looks  up  as  if  wondering  what  that 
has  to  do  with  the  question. 

Christ  turns  upon  him  a  searching  glance  which 
seems  to  read  his  motives  as  an  open  page.  There 
is  no  indignation  in  the  expression,  only  sorrowful 
rebuke.  His  answer  is  ready,  and  he  points  quietly 
to  the  coin  with  the  words  which  so  astonish  his 
listeners. 

The  character  of  Christ  is  so  many-sided  that  any 
painter  who  tries  to  represent  him  has  the  difficult 
task  of  uniting  in  a  single  face  all  noble  qualities  of 
manhood.  Let  us  notice  what  elements  of  character 
Titian  has  made  most  prominent,  and  we  shall  see 
how  much  more  nearly  he  satisfies  our  ideal  than 
other  painters. 

Refinement  and  intellectual  power  impress  us  first 
in  this  countenance :  the  noble  forehead  is  that  of 
a  thinker.  The  eyes  show  penetration  and  insight : 
we  feel  how  impossible  it  would  be  to  deceive  this 
man.  It  is  a  gentle  face,  too,  but  without  weak- 
ness. Here  is  one  who  would  sympathize  with  the 
sorrowing  and  have  compassion  on  the  erring,  but 
who  would  not  forget  to  be  just.  Strength  of 
character  and  firmness  of  purpose  are  indicated  in 
his  expression.  The  highest  quality  in  the  face  is 
its  moral  earnestness.  Its  calm  purity  contrasts 
with  the  coarse,  evil  face  of  the  questioner  as  light 
shining  in  the  darkness.  There  is,  perhaps,  only 
one  other  head  of  Christ  in  art  with  which  it  can 
properly  be  compared,  and  this  is  by  Leonardo  da 


48  TITIAN 

Vinci,  in  the  Last  Supper  at  Milan.  The  two 
painters  have  expressed,  as  no  others  have  been  able 
to,  a  spiritual  majesty  worthy  of  the  subject. 

The  early  painters  used  to  surround  the  head  of 
Christ  with  a  circle  of  gold,  which  was  called  a  nim- 
bus, a  halo,  or  a  glory.  The  custom  had  been  given 
up  by  Titian's  time,  but  we  see  in  our  picture  the 
remnant  of  the  old  symbol  in  the  three  tiny  points 
of  light  which  shine  over  the  top  and  sides  of  the 
Saviour's  hair.  They  are  a  mystic  emblem  of  the 
Trinity. 

The  artistic  qualities  of  the  picture  are  above 
praise.  There  are  few,  if  any,  of  Titian's  works 
executed  with  so  much  care  and  delicacy  of  finish, 
but  without  sacrificing  anything  in  the  breadth. 
We  recognize  the  painter's  characteristic  touch  in 
the  disposition  of  the  draperies,  in  the  delicacy  of 
the  hair,  the  modelling  of  the  hands,  and  the  pose 
of  Christ's  head.  The  figures  have  that  quality  of 
vitality  which  we  observe  in  Titian's  great  portraits. 
The  color  of  Christ's  robe  is  red,  and  his  mantle  a 
deep  blue. 


IX 

THE    BELLA 

Among  Titian's  wealthy  patrons  was  a  certain 
Duke  of  Urbino,  Francesco  Maria  della  Rovere,  who, 
as  the  general-in-chief  of  the  Venetian  forces,  came 
to  Venice  to  live  when  our  artist  was  at  the  height 
of  his  fame.  From  this  time  till  the  Duke's  death 
the  painter  was  brought  into  relations  with  this  noble 
family.  This  was  the  period  when  the  Bella  was 
painted,  and  the  picture  has,  as  we  shall  see,  an  in- 
timate connection  with  these  patrons. 

The  Duke's  wife  was  Eleanora  Gonzaga,  sister  of 
the  Duke  of  Mantua,  celebrated  for  her  beauty  and 
refinement.  A  contemporary  (Baldassare  Castiglione) 
writing  of  the  lady,  says :  "  If  ever  there  were  united 
wisdom,  grace,  beauty,  genius,  courtesy,  gentleness, 
and  refined  manners,  it  was  in  her  person,  where 
these  combined  qualities  form  a  chain  adorning  her 
every  movement." 

The  Duke  himself  was  deeply  in  love  with  his  wife. 
A  week  after  his  marriage  he  wrote  that  "  he  had 
never  met  a  more  comely,  merry,  or  sweet  girl, 
who  to  a  most  amiable  disposition  added  a  surpris- 
ingly precocious  judgment,  which  gained  for  her 
general  admiration."    Eleanora,  on  her  partA  showed 


60  TITIAN 

an  undeviating  affection  for  her  husband,  and  they 
lived  together  happily. 

From  the  date  of  her  marriage,  we  can  reckon 
that  the  Duchess  must  have  been  well  into  her  thir- 
ties when  she  came  to  Venice  to  live.  From  a  por- 
trait Titian  painted  of  her,  when  she  was  about  forty, 
we  see  that  much  of  the  fresh  beauty  of  her  girlhood 
had  faded.  She  had,  however,  good  features,  with 
large,  fine  eyes  and  arching  brows.  Her  figure  was 
graceful  and  her  neck  beautiful :  the  head  was  par- 
ticularly well  set. 

All  these  qualities  kindled  the  artistic  imagination 
of  Titian.  In  the  matron  of  forty  his  inner  eye 
caught  a  vision  of  the  belle  of  twenty.  Thereupon, 
he  wrought  an  artist's  miracle :  he  painted  pictures 
of  Eleanora  as  she  had  looked  twenty  years  before. 
One  of  these,  and  perhaps  the  most  famous,  is  the 
Bella  of  our  illustration.1  The  identity  of  the  origi- 
nal is  hidden  under  this  simple  title,  which  is  an 
Italian  word,  meaning  the  Beauty.  An  ancient 
legend  tells  of  a  wonderful  fountain,  by  drinking  of 
which  a  man,  though  old,  might  renew  his  youth 
and  be,  like  the  gods,  immortal.  There  were  some 
who  went  in  quest  of  these  waters,  among  them,  as 
we  remember,  the  Spanish  knight,  Ponce  de  Leon, 
who,  thinking  to  find  them  north  of  Cuba,  discovered 
our  Florida.  The  Duchess  of  Urbino  found  such  a 
fountain  of  youth  in  the  art  of  Titian.  Comparing 
her  actual  portrait  with  the  Bella,  painted  within  a 

1  Others  are  the  Venus  of  the  Uffizi  Gallery,  Florence,  and  the 
Girl  in  the  Fur  Cloak  in  the  Belvedere,  Vienna. 


From  carbon  print  bj  Braun,  Clement  &  Co 


John  Andrew  £  son.  5c. 


THE  BELLA 
Pitti  Gallery,  Florence 


THE  BELLA  53 

few  years,  it  seems  as  if  the  lady  of  the  former  had 
quaffed  the  magic  draught  which  had  restored  her 
to  her  youthful  beauty. 

The  Bella  is  what  is  called  a  half  length  portrait, 
the  figure  standing,  tall,  slender,  and  perfectly  pro- 
portioned. The  lady  turns  her  face  to  meet  ours, 
and  whether  we  move  to  the  right  or  the  left,  the 
eyes  of  the  enchantress  seem  to  follow  us.  We  fall 
under  their  spell  at  the  first  glance ;  there  is  a  de- 
lightful witchery  about  them. 

The  small  head  is  exquisitely  modelled,  and  the 
hair  is  coiled  about  it  in  close  braids  to  preserve  the 
round  contours  corresponding  to  the  faultless  curves 
of  cheek  and  chin.  The  hair  is  of  golden  auburn, 
waving  prettily  about  the  face,  and  escaping  here 
and  there  in  little  tendrils.  Over  the  forehead  it 
forms  the  same  perfect  arch  which  is  repeated  in  the 
brows.  The  slender  throat  is  long  and  round,  like 
the  stalk  of  a  flower;  the  neck  and  shoulders  are 
white  and  firm,  and  shaped  in  beautiful  curves. 

The  rich  costume  interests  us  as  indicating  the 
fashions  in  the  best  Venetian  society  of  the  early 
16th  century.  Comparing  it  with  that  of  the  Em- 
press Isabella  in  our  other  picture,1  we  notice  that  at 
the  same  period  the  Venetian  styles  differed  consid- 
erably from  the  Spanish,  to  the  advantage  of  the  for- 
mer. Instead  of  the  stiff  Spanish  corset  which  des- 
troyed the  natural  grace  of  the  figure,  the  Bella  wears 
a  comfortably  fitting  bodice,  from  which  the  skirt 
falls  in  full  straight  folds.     The  dress  is  of  brownish 

1  See  page  15. 


54  TITIAN 

purple  velvet,  combined  with  peacock  blue  brocade. 
The  sleeves  are  ornamented  with  small  knots  pulled 
through  slashes.  A  long  chain  falls  across  the 
neck,  and  jewelled  ear-rings  hang  in  the  ears.1 

It  is  pleasant  to  analyze  the  details  of  the  figure 
and  costume,  but  after  all  the  charm  of  the  picture 
is  in  the  total  impression  it  conveys.  Applied  to  this 
lovely  vision  of  womanhood  the  words  of  Castiglione 
seem  no  flattery.  In  her  are  united  "  grace,  beauty, 
courtesy,  gentleness,  and  refined  manners."  The 
essence  of  aristocracy  is  expressed  in  her  bearing  : 
the  pose  of  the  head  is  that  of  a  princess.  There 
is  no  trace  of  haughtiness  in  her  manner,  and  no 
approach  to  familiarity :  she  has  the  perfect  equi- 
poise of  good  breeding. 

The  picture  gives  us  that  sense  of  a  real  presence 
which  it  was  the  crowning  glory  of  Titian's  art  to 
achieve.  The  canvas  is  much  injured,  but  the  Bella 
is  still  immortally  young  and  beautiful. 

1  In  the  later  Venetian  art,  as  in  the  pictures  by  Veronese,  we 
see  more  elaborate  costumes. 


X 

MEDEA   AND    VENUS 
{Formerly  called  Sacred  and  Profane  Love) 

A  charming  story  is  told  in  Ovid's  "  Metamor- 
phoses" of  Jason's  adventures  in  search  of  the  golden 
fleece,  and  of  his  love  for  Medea.1  Jason  was  a 
Greek  prince,  young,  handsome,  brave,  and  withal 
of  noble  heart.  He  had  journeyed  over  seas  in  his 
good  ship  Argo,  and  had  at  last  come  to  Colchis  to 
win  the  coveted  treasure. 

The  King  iEetes  had  no  mind  to  give  up  the 
fleece  without  a  struggle,  and  he  set  the  young  hero 
a  hard  task.  He  was  ordered  to  tame  two  bulls 
which  had  feet  of  brass  and  breath  of  flame.  When 
he  had  yoked  these,  he  was  to  plough  a  field  and 
sow  it  with  serpent's  teeth  which  would  yield  a  crop 
of  armed  men  to  attack  him.  While  Jason  turned 
over  in  his  mind  how  he  should  perform  these  feats, 
he  chanced  to  meet  the  king's  beautiful  daughter 
Medea.  At  once  the  two  fell  in  love  with  each  other, 
and  Jason's  fortunes  took  a  new  turn.  Medea  pos- 
sessed certain  secrets  of  enchantment  which  might 

1  See  Book  VII.  in  Henry  King's  translation,  from  which  the  quo- 
tations here  are  drawn.  The  same  story  is  delightfully  modernized 
in  Hawthorne's  Tanglewood  Tales  and  Kingsley's  Greek  Heroes, 


56  TITIAN 

be  of  practical  service  to  her  lover  in  his  adventure. 
She  had  a  magic  salve  which  protected  the  body 
from  fire  and  steel.  She  also  knew  the  charm — 
and  it  was  merely  the  throwing  of  a  stone  —  which 
would  turn  the  "  earth-born  crop  of  foes  "  from  at- 
tacking an  enemy  to  attack  one  another.  Finally 
she  had  drugs  which  would  put  to  sleep  the  dragon 
guarding  the  fleece. 

To  impart  these  secrets  to  Jason  might  seem  an 
easy  matter,  but  Medea  did  not  find  it  so.  She  was 
a  loyal  daughter,  and  Jason  had  come  to  take  her 
father's  prized  possession.  She  would  be  a  traitor 
to  aid  a  stranger  against  her  own  people.  The  poet 
tells  how  in  her  trouble  the  princess  sought  a  quiet 
spot  where  she  might  take  counsel  with  herself. 

"  In  vain,"  she  cried, 
"  Medea  !  dost  thou  strive  !     Some  deity 
Resists  thee  !     Ah,  this  passion  sure,  or  one 
Resembling  this,  must  be  what  men  call  love  ! 
Why  should  my  sire's  conditions  seem  too  hard  ? 
And  yet  too  hard  they  are  !     Why  should  I  shake 
And  tremble  for  the  fate  of  one  whom  scarce 
These  eyes  have  looked  on  twice  ?     Whence  comes  this  fear 
I  cannot  quell  ?  Unhappy  !  from  thy  breast 
Dash  out  these  new-lit  fires  !  —  Ah  !  wiser  far 
If  so  I  could  !  —  But  some  new  power  constrains, 
And  reason  this  way  points,  and  that  way,  love." 

The  struggle  goes  on  for  some  time,  and  the  maid- 
en's heart  is  torn  with  conflicting  impulses.  Sum- 
moning up  "  all  images  of  right  and  faith  and  shame 
and  natural  duty,"  she  fancies  that  her  love  is  con- 
quered. A  moment  later  Jason  crosses  her  path  and 
the  day  is  lost.     Together  they  pledge  their  vows  at 


b 


pc 


MEDEA  AND  VENUS  59 

the  shrine  of  Hecate,  and  in  due  time  they  sail  away 
in  the  Argo  with  the  golden  fleece. 

Our  picture  illustrates  the  scene  of  Medea's  temp- 
tation at  the  fountain.  The  tempter  is  love,  in  the 
form  of  Venus,  the  Greek  goddess  represented  in  the 
old  mythology  as  the  inspirer  of  the  tender  passion. 
She  is  accompanied  by  the  little  love-god  Cupid,  the 
mischievous  fellow  whose  bow  and  arrow  work  so 
much  havoc  in  human  hearts.  The  perplexed  prin- 
cess sits  beside  the  fountain,  holding  her  head  in  the 
attitude  of  one  listening.  Venus  leans  towards  her 
from  the  other  side  and  softly  pleads  the  lover's 
cause.  Cupid  paddles  in  the  water  as  if  quite  un- 
concerned in  the  affair,  but  none  can  tell  what  mis- 
chief he  is  plotting. 

We  notice  a  distinct  resemblance  between  the  faces 
of  the  two  maidens,  and  perhaps  this  is  the  painter's 
way  of  telling  us  that  Venus  is  only  Medea's  other 
self  :  the  voice  of  the  tempter  speaks  from  her  own 
heart.  The  expression  is  quite  different  on  the  two 
faces,  tender  and  persuasive  in  Venus,  dreamy  and 
preoccupied  in  Medea.  If  we  turn  again  to  Ovid 
for  the  interpretation  of  the  picture,  we  may  fancy 
that  Venus  is  describing  the  proud  days  when,  as 
Jason's  bride,  Medea  would  journey  with  him  through 
the  cities  of  Greece.  "  My  head  will  touch  the  very 
stars  with  rapture,"  thought  the  princess. 

The  dress  of  Medea  is  rich  and  elegant,  but  quite 
simply  made  ;  the  heavy  folds  of  the  skirt  describe 
long,  beautiful  lines.  In  one  gloved  hand  she  holds 
a  bunch  of  herbs,  and  the  other  rests  upon  a  casket. 


60  TITIAN 

The  figure  of  Venus  is  conceived  according  to  clas- 
sic tradition,  undraped,  as  the  goddess  emerged  from 
the  sea-foam  at  her  birth.  In  the  Greek  religion 
the  human  body  was  honored  as  a  fit  incarnation 
for  the  deities.  Sculptors  delighted  in  the  long  flow- 
ing lines  and  beautiful  curves  which  could  be  devel- 
oped in  different  poses.  Titian's  picture  translates 
the  spirit  of  Greek  sculpture,  so  to  speak,  into  the 
art  of  painting.  The  figure  of  Venus  may  well  be 
compared  with  the  marble  Venus  of  Milo,  in  the 
pure  beauty  of  the  face,  the  exquisite  modelling  of 
the  figure,  and  the  sweeping  lines  of  grace  described 
in  the  attitude.1  The  painter  contrasts  the  delicate 
tint  of  the  flesh  with  the  rich  crimson  of  the  mantle 
which  falls  from  the  shoulder. 

The  landscape  is  a  charming  part  of  the  picture, 
stretching  on  either  side  in  sunny  vistas,  pleasantly 
diversified  with  woods  and  waters,  hills  and  pasture 
lands,  church  and  castle.2  Sunset  lights  the  sky, 
and  lends  its  color  to  the  glowing  harmonies  of  the 
composition. 

1  See  the  volume  on  Greek  Sculpture  in  the  Riverside  Art  Series, 
chap.  xiii. 

2  In  our  reproduction  a  small  portion  of  the  landscape  is  cut  off  at 
each  end. 


XI 

THE    MAN   WITH   THE    GLOVE 

The  Man  with  the  Glove  is  so  called  for  lack  of 
a  more  definite  name.  Nothing  is  told  by  Titian's 
biographers  about  the  original  of  the  portrait,  and 
the  mystery  gives  a  certain  romantic  interest  to  the 
picture.  Not  being  limited  by  any  actual  facts  we 
can  invent  a  story  of  our  own  about  the  person,  or 
as  many  stories  as  we  like,  each  according  to  his 
fancy. 

The  sitter  certainly  makes  a  good  figure  for  the 
hero  of  a  romance.  He  is  young  and  handsome, 
well  dressed,  with  an  unmistakable  air  of  breeding, 
and  singularly  expressive  eyes.  Such  eyes  usually 
belong  to  a  shy,  sensitive  nature,  and  have  a  haunt- 
ing quality  like  those  of  some  woodland  creature. 

The  title  of  The  Man  with  the  Glove  is  appropriate 
in  emphasizing  an  important  feature  of  the  costume. 
In  the  days  of  this  portrait,  gloves  were  worn  only 
by  persons  of  wealth  and  distinction,  and  were  a 
distinguishing  mark  of  elegance.  Though  somewhat 
clumsily  made,  according  to  our  modern  notions, 
they  were  large  enough  to  preserve  the  characteristic 
shape  of  the  hand,  and  give  easy  play  to  the  fingers. 
They  formed,  too,  a  poetic  element  in  the  social  life 
of  the  age  of  chivalry.     It  was  by  throwing  down 


62  TITIAN 

his  glove  (or  gauntlet)  that  one  knight  challenged 
another ;  while  a  glove  was  also  sometimes  a  love- 
token  between  a  knight  and  his  lady. 

The  glove  has  its  artistic  purpose  in  the  picture, 
casting  the  left  hand  into  shadow,  to  contrast  with 
the  ungloved  right  hand.  The  texture  of  the  leather 
is  skilfully  rendered,  and  harmonizes  pleasantly  with 
the  serious  color  scheme  of  the  composition. 

Besides  the  gloves,  the  daintily  ruffled  shirt,  the 
seal  ring,  and  the  long  neck  chain,  show  the  sitter 
to  be  a  young  man  of  fashion.  Not  that  he  is  in  the 
least  a  fop,  but  he  belongs  to  that  station  in  life 
where  fine  raiment  is  a  matter  of  course,  and  he 
wears  it  as  one  to  the  manner  born.  His  hands  are 
delicately  modelled,  but  they  are  not  the  plump  hands 
of  an  idler.  They  are  rather  flexible  and  sensitive, 
with  long  fingers  like  the  hands  of  an  artist. 

The  glossy  hair  falls  over  the  ears,  and  is  brushed 
forward  and  cut  in  a  straight  line  across  the  forehead. 
The  style  suits  well  the  open  frankness  of  the  coun- 
tenance. We  must  note  Titian's  rendering  of  both 
hair  and  hands  as  points  of  excellence  in  the  portrait. 
There  is  a  great  deal  of  individuality  in  the  texture 
of  a  person's  hair  and  the  shape  of  his  hands,  but 
many  artists  have  apparently  overlooked  this  fact. 
Van  Dyck,  for  instance,  used  a  model  who  furnished 
the  hands  for  his  portraits,  irrespective  of  the  sitter. 
Titian,  in  his  best  work,  counted  nothing  too  trivial 
for  faithful  artistic  treatment. 

If  we  were  to  try  to  explain  why  The  Man  with 
the  Glove  is  a  great  work  of  art  we  should  find  the 


From  carbon  print  by  Braun,  Clement  &  Co. 


John  Andrew  &  Son,  Sc. 


THE   MAN    WITH  THE  GLOVE 
7'/w  Louvre,  Paris 


THE  MAN  WITH  THE  GLOVE         65 

first  reason,  perhaps,  in  the  fact  that  the  man  seems 
actually  alive.  The  portrait  has  what  the  critics  call 
vitality,  in  a  remarkable  degree.  Again,  the  painter 
has  revealed  in  the  face  the  inner  life  of  the  man 
himself;  the  portrait  is  a  revelation  of  his  person- 
ality. 

It  has  been  said  that  every  man  wears  an  habitual 
mask  in  the  presence  of  his  fellows.  It  is  only  when 
he  is  taken  unaware  that  the  mask  drops,  and  the 
man's  real  self  looks  out  of  his  face.  The  portrait 
painter's  art  must  catch  the  sitter's  expression  in 
such  a  moment  of  unconsciousness.  The  great  artist 
must  be  a  seer  as  well  as  a  painter,  to  penetrate  the 
secrets  of  human  character. 

The  young  man  of  our  picture  is  one  of  those 
reticent  natures  capable  of  intense  feeling.  In  this 
moment  of  unconsciousness  his  very  soul  seems  to 
look  forth  from  his  eyes.  It  is  the  soul  of  a  poet, 
though  he  may  not  possess  the  gift  of  song.  He 
has  the  poet's  imagination  as  a  dreamer  of  noble 
dreams. 

The  time  seems  to  have  come  when  he  is  just 
awakening  to  the  possibilities  of  life.  He  faces  the 
future  seriously,  but  with  no  shrinking.  One  recalls 
the  words  of  Gareth,  in  Tennyson's  Idyll : 

"  Man  am  I  grown,  a  man's  work  must  I  do. 

Live  pure,  speak  true,  right  wrong,  follow  the  king  — 
Else  wherefore  born  ?  "  * 

The  lofty  ideals  of  the  knights  of  King  Arthur's 

1  From  Gareth  and  Lynette. 


66  TITIAN 

Round  Table  are  such  as  we  feel  sure  this  gentle  spirit 
would  make  his  own  :  — 

"  To  reverence  the  king  as  if  he  were 
Their  conscience,  and  their  conscience  as  their  king, 
To  break  the  heathen  and  uphold  the  Christ, 
To  ride  abroad  redressing  human  wrongs, 
To  speak  no  slander,  no  nor  listen  to  it, 
To  lead  sweet  lives  in  purest  chastity, 
To  love  one  maiden  only,  cleave  to  her, 
And  worship  her  by  years  of  noble  deeds 
Until  they  won  her."  x 

It  may  be  of  these  "noble  deeds"  of  chivalry 
that  our  young  man  is  dreaming,  or  it  may  be  of 
that  "  one  maiden  "  for  whose  sake  they  are  to  be 
done.  Certainly  these  candid  eyes  see  visions  which 
we  should  be  glad  to  see,  and  show  us  the  depths  of 
a  knightly  soul. 

1  From  Guinevere. 


XII 

THE   ASSUMPTION    OF   THE    VIRGIN 

(Detail) 

The  Virgin  Mary,  mother  of  Jesus,  has  for  over 
nineteen  centuries  represented  to  Christendom  all 
the  ideal  qualities  of  womanhood.  In  her  character, 
as  revealed  in  St.  Luke's  gospel,  we  read  of  her 
noble,  trustful  humility  in  accepting  the  message  of 
the  Annunciation ;  of  her  decision  and  prudence 
shown  in  her  visit  to  Elizabeth ;  of  her  intellectual 
power  as  manifested  in  the  song  of  the  Magnificat ; 
of  the  contemplative  nature  with  which  she  watched 
the  growth  of  Jesus ;  of  her  maternal  devotion 
throughout  her  son's  ministry,  —  and  of  her  sublime 
fortitude  and  faith  at  his  crucifixion.1  Such  was  the 
woman  so  highly  favored  of  God,  she  whom  the 
angel  called  "  blessed  among  women." 

Art  has  pictured  for  us  many  imaginary  scenes 
from  the  life  of  Mary.  The  most  familiar  and  best 
loved  subject  is  that  of  her  motherhood,  where  she 
is  seen  with  her  babe  in  her  arms.  There  are  other 
subjects,  less  common,  showing  her  as  a  glorified 
figure  in  mid-air  as  in  a  vision.     One  such  is  that 

1  This  analysis  of  Mary's  character  is  suggested  in  the  Introduc- 
tion to  Mrs.  Jameson's  Legends  of  the  Madonna,  p.  28. 


GS  TITIAN 

called  the  Immaculate  Conception,  which  the  Span- 
ish painter  Murillo  so  frequently  repeated.1  An- 
other is  the  Assumption,  representing  her  at  her 
death  as  borne  by  angels  to  heaven. 

The  "  Golden  Legend  "  relates  how  "  the  right 
fair  among  the  daughters  of  Jerusalem  .  .  .  full  of 
charity  and  dilection"  was  "joyously  received"  into 
glory.  "  The  angels  were  glad,  the  archangels 
enjoyed,  the  thrones  sang,  the  dominations  made 
melody,  the  principalities  harmonized,  the  potestates 
harped,  cherubim  and  seraphim  sang  laudings  and 
praisings."  Also,  "  the  angels  were  with  the  apostles 
singing,  and  replenished  all  the  land  with  marvelous 
sweetness."  2 

The  Assumption  of  the  Virgin  is  the  subject  of  a 
noble  painting  by  Titian,  one  of  the  most  celebrated 
pictures  in  the  world.  A  group  of  apostles  stand  on 
the  earth  gazing  after  the  receding  figure  of  the 
Virgin  as  she  soars  into  the  air  on  a  wreath  of  cloud- 
borne  angels.  From  the  upper  air  the  Heavenly 
Father  floats  downward  with  his  angels  to  receive 
her.  As  the  canvas  is  very  large,  over  twenty-two 
feet  in  height,  a  small  reproduction  of  the  entire 
picture  is  unsatisfactory,  and  our  illustration  gives 
us  the  heart  of  the  composition  for  careful  study. 

The  Virgin  rises  buoyantly  through  the  air,  and 
the  figure  is  so  full  of  life  and  motion  that  it  seems 

1  See  the  volume  on  Murillo  in  the  Riverside  Art  Series,  Chap- 
ter I. 

a  See  The  Golden  Legend,  in  Caxton's  translation,  edited  by  F.  S. 
Ellis  (Temple  Classics),  vol.  iv.,  pages  238,  239,  245. 


From  carbon  print  by  Braun.  Clement  £  Co. 


Jolin  Andrew  £  S  >n.  So. 


THE  ASSUMPTION  OF  THE  VIRGIN  (DETAIL 
Venice  Academy 


THE  ASSUMPTION  OF  THE  VIRGIN  71 

as  if  it  would  presently  soar  beyond  our  sight.  The 
heavy  folds  of  the  skirt  swirl  about  the  body  in 
the  swiftness  of  the  ascent.  The  rushing  air  fills 
the  mantle  like  the  sail  of  a  ship.  Yet  the  source  of 
motion  is  not  within  the  figure  itself,  for  we  see  the 
feet  resting  firmly  on  the  cloud.  It  is  as  if  she  were 
borne  aloft  in  a  celestial  chariot  composed  of  an 
angelic  host. 

The  face  is  lifted  with  a  look  of  rapture ;  the 
arms  are  extended  in  a  gesture  of  exultation.  The 
pose  of  the  head  displays  the  beautiful  throat,  strong 
and  full  like  that  of  a  singer.  The  features  are  cast 
in  a  large,  majestic  mould.  The  hands,  turned  palm 
outward,  are  large  and  flexible,  but  with  delicate, 
tapering  fingers. 

We  have  already  seen  in  other  pictures  what  was 
Titian's  conception  of  the  Virgin  in  her  girlhood 
and  motherhood.  We  find  little  of  the  ethereal  and 
spiritual  in  his  ideal,  and  nothing  that  would  in  any 
way  suggest  that  true  piety  is  morbid  or  sentimental. 
Other  painters  have  erred  in  this  direction,  but  not 
Titian.  To  him  the  Virgin  was  no  angel  in  disguise, 
but  a  strong,  happy,  healthy  woman,  rejoicing  in 
life.  But  though  a  woman,  she  was  in  the  poet's 
phrase  "  a  woman  above  all  women  glorified."  She 
possessed  in  perfection  all  the  good  gifts  of  human 
nature.  Titian's  ideal  coincided  with  the  old  Greek 
formula,  "  A  sound  mind  in  a  sound  body."  The 
Virgin  of  the  Assumption  is  in  fact  not  unlike  a 
Greek  goddess  in  her  magnificently  developed  phy- 
sique and  glorious  beauty. 


72  TITIAN 

Our  illustration  includes  a  few  of  the  baby  angels 
from  the  wreath  supporting  the  Madonna.  They 
are  packed  so  closely  together  in  the  picture  that 
their  little  limbs  interlace  like  interwoven  stems  in  a 
garland  of  flowers.  Yet  the  figures  are  cunningly 
arranged  to  bring  into  prominence  a  series  of  radiat- 
ing lines  which  flow  towards  a  centre  in  the  Madon- 
na's face.  We  see  in  the  corner  of  our  print  a  little 
arm  pointing  to  the  Virgin,  and  above  it  is  a  cherub's 
wing  drawn  in  the  same  oblique  line. 

Frolicsome  as  is  this  whole  company  of  angels, 
they  are  of  an  almost  unearthly  beauty.  A  poetic 
critic  has  told  of  standing  before  the  picture  contem- 
plating these  lovely  spirits  one  after  another,  until, 
as  she  expresses  it,  "  A  thrill  came  over  me  like  that 
which  I  felt  when  Mendelssohn  played  the  organ 
and  I  became  music  while  I  listened."  She  sums 
up  the  effect  of  the  picture  as  "  mind  and  music  and 
love,  kneaded,  as  it  were,  into  form  and  color."  1 

When  we  analyze  the  drawing  of  the  Madonna's 
figure  we  see  that  it  is  drawn  in  an  outline  of  long, 
beautiful  curves.  The  principle  of  repetition  is 
skilfully  worked  into  the  composition.  The  outer 
sleeve  falls  away  from  the  right  arm  in  an  oval 
which  exactly  duplicates  that  made  by  the  lower 
portion  of  the  mantle  sweeping  out  at  one  side.  By 
tracing  the  main  lines  of  the  drapery  one  will  find 
them  running  in  parallels. 

1  Mrs.  Jameson  in  Sacred  and  Legendary  Art,  page  74. 


XIII 

FLORA 

Besides  the  portraits  intended  as  actual  likenesses 
of  the  sitters,  Titian  was  fond  of  painting  what  may 
be  called  ideal  portraits,  or  fancy  pictures.  While 
real  persons  furnished  the  original  models  for  these, 
the  painter  let  his  imagination  have  free  play  in 
modifying  and  perfecting  form  and  feature.  We 
have  seen  an  illustration  of  this  process  in  the  picture 
called  the  Bella,  an  idealized  portrait  of  Eleanora 
Gonzaga.     The  Flora  is  another  example. 

We  do  not  know  the  name  of  the  original,  but 
we  may  be  sure  that  it  represents  an  actual  person. 
There  is  a  tradition  that  she  was  the  daughter  of 
one  of  Titian's  fellow-painters,  Palma,  with  whom 
he  was  in  love.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  Palma  had  no 
daughter,  and  the  young  woman  was  doubtless  only 
a  favorite  Venetian  model  whom  both  painters  em- 
ployed. Apparently  it  was  she  who  posed  for  both 
figures  in  the  picture  of  Medea  and  Venus  which 
we  have  studied.1 

Flora's  hair  is  of  that  auburn  tint  which  the  Vene- 
tians loved,  and  which,  it  is  believed,  was  artificially 
produced.  It  is  looped  into  soft,  waving  puffs  over 
the  ears,  and  gathered  back  by  a  silken  cord,  below 

1  See  page  57. 


74  TITIAN 

which  it  falls  like  a  delicate  veil  thinly  spread  over 
the  shoulders.  The  skin  is  exquisitely  white  and 
soft,  and  the  thin  garment  has  been  allowed  to  slip 
from  one  shoulder  so  that  we  may  see  the  full, 
beautiful  neck. 

We  notice  with  what  art  the  painter  has  arranged 
the  draperies.  From  the  right  shoulder  the  garment 
falls  in  delicate,  radiating  folds  across  the  figure. 
Over  the  garment  is  thrown  a  stiff,  rose-colored  bro- 
cade mantle,  contrasting  pleasantly  with  the  former 
both  in  color  and  texture.  A  glimpse  of  this  mantle 
is  seen  at  the  right  side  and  above  the  left  shoulder 
and  arm,  over  which  the  hand  gathers  it  up  to  pre- 
vent it  from  slipping.  This  action  of  the  left  hand 
introduces  a  new  set  of  lines  into  the  picture,  breaking 
the  folds  of  the  drapery  into  eddying  circles  which 
offset  the  more  sweeping  lines  of  the  composition.1 

The  drawing  here  is  well  worth  studying,  and  we 
may  give  it  more  attention  since  we  must  lose  the 
lovely  color  of  the  painting  in  the  reproduction. 
The  main  lines  flow  in  diagonals  in  two  opposite 
directions.  There  is  the  long  line  of  the  right  arm 
and  shoulder  drawn  in  a  fine,  strong  curve  across  the 
canvas.  Parallel  with  it  is  the  edge  of  the  brocade 
mantle  as  it  is  held  in  the  left  hand.  The  counter 
lines  are  the  curve  of  the  neck  and  left  shoulder, 
with  which  the  upper  edge  of  the  undergarment 
runs  parallel.  The  wide  spaces  between  these  en- 
closing lines  are  broken  by  sprays  of  radiating  lines, 

1  This  feature  of  the  picture  is  pointed  out  by  John  Vau  Dyke  in 
Lis  notes  on  Clossou's  engraving  of  the  subject. 


From  carbon  print  t»\   II 


John  Andrew  &  Sim,  $c. 


FLORA 

Uffizi  Gallery,  Florence 


FLORA  77 

one  formed  by  the  folds  of  the  undergarment,  and 
the  other  smaller  one  by  the  locks  of  hair  on  the 
left  shoulder. 

The  graceful  pose  of  the  head,  inclined  to  one 
side,  suggests  the  soft  languor  of  a  southern  temper- 
ament. It  was  often  adopted  by  Titian,  and  we  see 
another  instance  in  the  attitude  of  the  Venus.  We 
fancy  that  the  painters  liked  particularly  the  long 
curve  thus  obtained  along  the  neck  and  shoulder. 
The  angle  made  on  the  other  side  between  head  and 
shoulder  is  filled  in  with  the  falling  hair. 

The  title  of  Flora  is  given  to  the  picture  after  the 
fashion  of  Titian's  time  for  drawing  subjects  from 
mythology.  The  revival  of  classic  learning  had 
opened  to  Italian  art  a  delightful  new  field  of  illus- 
tration. We  see  how  Titian  took  advantage  of  it 
in  such  pictures  as  Medea  and  Venus.  In  England 
the  love  of  the  classics  was  seen  in  the  poetry  which 
took  much  the  same  place  there  that  painting  held 
in  Italy.  Flora  was  the  ancient  goddess  of  flowers 
and  is  made  much  of  in  Elizabethan  verse.1  Some 
pretty  lines  by  Richard  Carlton  describe 

"  When  Flora  fair  the  pleasant  tidings  bringeth 
Of  summer  sweet  with  herbs  and  flowers  adorned." 

In  our  picture  the  goddess  holds  a  handful  of 
flowers,  roses,  jessamine  and  violets,  as  a  sign  of  her 
identity.  We  confess  that  her  type  of  beauty  hardly 
corresponds  to  our  ideal  of  Flora.  She  is  a  gentle, 
amiable  creature,  but  not  ethereal  and  poetic  enough 

1  It  should  be  remembered  that  a  portion  of  Elizabeth's  reign 
(1538-1603)  fell  within  Titian's  lifetime. 


78  TITIAN 

for  the  goddess  of  flowers.  Were  we  to  choose  a 
character  for  her  from  mythology  it  would  be  Juno, 
the  matronly  "  ox-eyed  "  goddess,  who  presided  over 
marriage  and  whose  emblem  was  the  productive 
pomegranate. 

As  we  compare  Flora  with  the  other  fair  women  of 
our  collection,  we  see  that  her  beauty  is  of  a  less 
elegant  and  aristocratic  type  than  that  of  the  Bella, 
and  less  delicate  and  refined  than  that  of  the  Empress 
Isabella.  Her  face  is  perhaps  too  broad  to  satisfy  a 
connoisseur  of  beauty,  and  she  is  quite  plainly  of 
plebeian  caste.  Like  Lavinia  her  charm  is  in  the 
healthy  vitality  which  was  the  special  characteristic 
of  the  Venetian  beauties  of  the  time.  The  figure 
glows  with  warm  pulsing  life. 


XIV 

THE  PESARO  MADONNA 

High  on  a  great  marble  pedestal,  between  the 
stately  pillars  of  a  temple,  sits  the  mother  Mary 
with  her  child  Jesus,  receiving  worshippers.  Beyond 
the  pillars  is  seen  the  blue  sky  veiled  with  fleecy 
clouds.  A  tiny  cloud  has  floated  within  the  enclo- 
sure, bearing  two  winged  cherubs,  who  hold  a  cross 
between  them,  hovering  over  the  group  below. 

The  company  of  worshippers  kneel  on  the  tessel- 
lated pavement :  we  see  from  their  dress  that  they 
are  wealthy  Venetians  of  the  sixteenth  century.  It 
is  the  family  group  of  a  certain  Jacopo  Pesaro,  who 
was  at  that  time  bishop  of  Paphos.  He  is  known 
by  the  familiar  nickname  of  "  Baffo,"  and  played 
an  important  part  in  Venetian  history. 

When  the  Venetians  went  forth  in  the  New  Cru- 
sade to  attack  the  Turks,  Pesaro  or  "  Baffo  "  was 
the  commander  of  the  galleys  sent  by  the  Borgia 
pope  Alexander  VI.  The  expedition  being  suc- 
cessful, the  bishop  wished  to  show  his  gratitude  for 
the  divine  favor.  Accordingly,  in  the  course  of 
time,  he  ordered  this  picture  as  a  thank-offering 
commemorative  of  his  victory.  He  comes  with  his 
kinsman  Benedetto  and  other  members  of  his  family 
to  consecrate  the  standards  taken  from  the  enemy. 


80  TITIAN 

The  bishop  himself  has  the  most  prominent  place 
among  the  worshippers  at  the  foot  of  the  throne 
steps,  while  Benedetto,  with  a  group  behind  him, 
kneels  opposite.  The  victorious  commander  is  ac- 
companied by  St.  George,  who  carries  the  banner 
inscribed  with  the  papal  arms  and  the  Pesaro  es- 
cutcheon. He  leads  forward  two  Turkish  captives  to 
whom  he  turns  to  speak.  St.  George  was  a  warrior 
saint,  and  being  besides  the  patron  of  Venice  his 
appearance  in  this  capacity  is  very  appropriate  here. 

There  are  other  saints  to  lend  their  august  pre- 
sence to  the  ceremony.  As  the  picture  was  to  be 
given  to  a  church  dedicated  to  the  Franciscan  friars 
or  "  Frari,"  two  of  the  most  celebrated  members  of 
this  order  are  represented.  They  are  St.  Francis, 
the  founder,  and  St.  Anthony,  of  Padua,  the  great 
preacher,  and  they  stand  in  the  habits  of  their  order 
beside  the  throne.  Midway  on  the  steps  St.  Peter 
is  seated  reading  a  book  from  which  he  turns  to  look 
down  upon  Jacopo.  The  key,  which  is  the  symbol 
of  his  authority  in  the  church,  stands  on  the  step 
below.  The  saints,  we  see,  form  a  connecting  link 
between  the  exalted  height  of  the  Madonna  and 
Child  and  the  worshippers.  St.  Peter  introduces  the 
bishop,  and  St.  Francis  seems  to  ask  favor  for  the 
group  with  Benedetto. 

The  scene  is  full  of  pomp  and  grandeur.  The 
superb  architecture  of  the  temple,  the  rich  draperies 
of  the  sacred  group,  the  splendid  dresses  of  the 
worshippers,  the  red  and  gold  banner,  all  contribute 
to  the  impression  of  magnificence  which  the  picture 


D.  Ander?on.  photo. 


John  Andrew  &  Son,  Se. 


THE  PESARO  MADONNA 
Church  of  the  Frari,  Venice 


THE   PESARO   MADONNA  83 

conveys.  The  colossal  scale  of  the  composition 
gives  us  an  exhilarating  sense  of  spaciousness.  The 
color  harmony  is  described  as  glorious. 

Though  the  bishop  of  Paphos  comes  to  render 
thanks,  his  attitude  is  far  from  humble.  There  are 
no  bowed  heads  in  the  kneeling  company.  These 
proud  Pesari  all  hold  themselves  erect  in  conscious 
self-importance.  It  is  as  if  they  were  taking  part 
in  some  pageant.  Only  the  face  of  the  youth  in 
the  corner  relaxes  from  dignified  impassivity  and 
looks  wistfully  out  at  us. 

The  Madonna  leans  graciously  from  her  high 
throne  and  looks  into  the  face  of  the  bishop.  She, 
too,  has  the  proud  aspect  and  demeanor  which  these 
haughty  Venetians  would  demand  of  one  whom 
they  were  to  honor.  Her  splendid  vitality  is  what 
impresses  us  most  forcibly.  The  child  is  a  merry 
little  fellow  who  does  not  concern  himself  at  all 
with  the  ceremony.  He  has  caught  up  his  mother's 
veil  in  the  left  hand,  drawing  it  over  his  head  as  if 
in  a  game  of  hide  and  seek  with  St.  Francis.  The 
little  foot  is  kicked  out  playfully  as  he  looks  down 
into  the  good  saint's  face. 

Let  us  consider  a  moment  the  skill  with  which 
Titian  has  united  the  various  parts  of  his  picture. 
The  canvas  was  of  an  awkward  shape,  being  of  so 
great  height.  To  fill  the  space  proportionately,  the 
Virgin's  throne  is  placed  at  a  height  which  divides 
the  picture.  The  little  cloud-borne  cherubs  break 
the  otherwise  undue  length  of  the  temple  pillars. 
The  composition  of  the  group  is  outlined  in  a  rather 


84  TITIAN 

odd-shaped  triangle.  All  its  main  lines  flow  diago- 
nally toward  a  focus  in  the  face  of  the  Virgin,  who 
is  of  course  the  dominant  figure  in  the  company. 

Notice  the  continuous  line  extending  from  the  top 
to  the  bottom  of  the  group.  The  folds  of  the  Ma- 
donna's drapery  are  ingeniously  carried  on  in  the 
rich  velvet  throne  hanging ;  and  St.  Peter's  yellow 
mantle  falls  well  below,  where  the  bishop's  robe  takes 
up  the  lines  and  carries  them  to  the  pavement. 
There  is  a  veritable  cascade  of  draperies  flowing 
diagonally  through  the  centre  of  the  picture.  The 
staff  of  the  banner  describes  a  line  cutting  this  main 
diagonal  at  exactly  the  same  angle,  and  thus  avoid- 
ing any  one-sided  effect  in  the  picture.  In  the  right 
of  the  composition  the  outline  of  the  Christchild's 
figure,  the  arm  of  St.  Francis,  and  the  stiff  robe  of 
Benedetto  make  a  series  of  lines  which  enclose  the 
triangle  on  that  side. 

The  critic  Ruskin  has  enunciated  a  set  of  laws  of 
composition  nearly  all  of  which  find  illustration  in 
this  painting.1  Principality  is  well  exemplified  in 
the  prominence  of  the  Virgin's  position  and  the 
flow  of  the  lines  toward  her.  Repetition,  Contrast, 
and  Continuity,  are  seen  in  the  drawing  of  the  com- 
positional lines,  as  has  been  indicated.  Finally,  the 
picture  is  perfect  in  Unity,  which  is  the  result  of 
masterly  composition,  its  many  diverse  parts  being 
bound  closely  together  to  form  a  harmonious  whole. 
1  See  Elements  of  Drawing,  Lecture  III. 


XV 

ST.    JOHN    THE    BAPTIST 

St.  John  the  Baptist  was  the  cousin  of  Jesus,  and 
was  the  elder  of  the  two  by  about  six  months.  Be- 
fore his  birth  the  angel  Gabriel  appeared  to  his 
father,  Zacharias,  and  predicted  for  the  coming 
child  a  great  mission  as  a  prophet.  His  special  work 
was  to  prepare  the  way  for  the  advent  of  the  Mes- 
siah. 

Zacharias  was  a  priest  and  a  good  man,  and  both 
he  and  his  wife  Elizabeth  were  deeply  impressed  with 
the  angel's  message.  Not  long  after,  their  cousin 
Mary  came  from  Nazareth  to  bring  them  news  of 
the  wonderful  babe  Jesus  promised  her  by  the  same 
angel.  He  was  to  be  the  Messiah  whom  John  was 
to  proclaim.  The  two  women  talked  earnestly  to- 
gether of  the  future  of  their  children,  and  no  doubt 
planned  to  do  all  in  their  power  to  further  the 
angel's  prediction.  The  time  came  when  all  these 
strange  prophecies  were  fulfilled.  As  John  grew 
to  manhood  he  showed  himself  quite  different  from 
other  men.  He  took  up  his  abode  in  the  wilder- 
ness, where  he  lived  almost  as  a  hermit.  His  rai- 
ment was  of  camel's  hair  fastened  about  him  with 
a  leathern  girdle  ;  his  food  was  locusts  and  wild 
honey.     At  length  "  the  word  of  God  came  unto 


86  TITIAN 

him,"  and  he  began  to  go  about  the  country  preach- 
ing. His  speech  was  as  simple  and  rugged  as  his 
manner  of  life.  He  boldly  denounced  the  Pharisees 
and  Sadducees  as  "  a  generation  of  vipers,"  and 
warned  sinners  "  to  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come." 
The  burden  of  all  his  sermons  was,  "  Repent,  for 
the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  at  hand." 

The  fame  of  his  preaching  reached  Jerusalem,  and 
the  Jews  sent  priests  and  Levites  to  ask  him,  "  Who 
art  thou  ?  '  His  reply  was  in  the  mystic  language 
of  the  old  Hebrew  prophet  Isaiah,  "  I  am  the  Voice 
of  one  crying  in  the  wilderness,  Make  straight  the 
way  of  the  Lord." 

It  was  a  part  of  John's  work  to  baptize  his  converts 
in  the  river  Jordan.  He  explained,  however,  that 
this  baptism  by  water  was  only  a  symbol  of  the 
spiritual  baptism  which  they  were  to  receive  at  the 
hands  of  the  coming:  Messiah.  "  One  mightier  than 
I  cometh,"  he  said,  "the  latchet  of  whose  shoes  I 
am  not  worthy  to  unloose  :  he  shall  baptize  you 
with  the  Holy  Ghost  and  with  fire."  1 

At  last  Jesus  himself  sought  to  be  baptized  by 
John.  The  Baptist  protested  his  un worthiness,  but 
Jesus  insisted,  and  the  ceremony  was  performed. 
And  "  it  came  to  pass  that  .  .  .  the  heaven  was 
opened,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  descended  in  a  bodily 
shape  like  a  dove  upon  him,  and  a  voice  came  from 
heaven,  which  said,  Thou  art  my  beloved  son  ;  in 
thee  I  am  well  pleased." 2     This  was  the  promised 

1  Lake,  chapter  iii.,  verse  6. 

2  Luke,  chapter  iii.,  verses  21,  22. 


D.  Anderson,  photo. 


John  Andrew  4  Son,  Sc. 


ST.  JOHN  THE  RAPTIST 
Venice  Academy 


ST.  JOHN  THE  BAPTIST  89 

sign  by  which  John  knew  Jesus  as  the  Messiah,  and 
he  straightway  proclaimed  him  to  his  disciples. 

His  life  work  was  now  consummated,  but  he  was 
not  permitted  to  see  the  fruits  of  his  labors.  For 
his  open  denunciation  of  King  Herod  he  was  cast 
into  prison,  and  was  soon  after  beheaded. 

In  our  picture  St.  John  stands  in  a  mountain  glen 
preaching.  As  his  glance  is  directed  out  of  the  pic- 
ture it  is  as  if  his  audience  were  in  front,  and  we 
among  their  number.  His  pointing  finger  seems  to 
single  out  some  one  to  whom  he  directs  attention, 
and  we  know  well  who  it  is.  This  must  be  that  day 
when  seeing  Jesus  approach  the  prophet  exclaimed, 
"  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God  which  taketh  away 
the  sin  of  the  world.  This  is  he  of  whom  I  said, 
After  me  cometh  a  man  which  is  preferred  before 
me ;  for  he  was  before  me."  1  The  lamb  which  lies 
on  the  ground  beside  him  is  the  outward  symbol  of 
his  words.  The  slender  reed  cross  he  carries  is  an 
emblem  of  his  mission  as  the  prophet  of  the  cruci- 
fied one. 

From  head  to  feet  the  Baptist  impresses  us  with 
his  muscular  power.  There  is  no  hint  of  fastings 
and  vigils  in  this  strong  athletic  figure.  Here,  as 
elsewhere.  Titian  will  have  nothing  of  that  piety  which 
is  associated  with  a  delicate  and  puny  physique.  He 
is  the  art  apostle  of  that  "  muscular  Christianity  "  of 
which  Charles  Kingsley  used  to  preach.  The  Bap- 
tist's skin  is  bronzed  and  weather-beaten  from  his 
active  out-of-door  life.     Yet  the  face  shows  the  stern 

1  John,  chapter  i.,  verses  29-30. 


90  TITIAN 

and  sombre  character  of  the  prophet.  There  are 
traces  of  suffering  in  the  expression,  as  of  one  who 
mourns  profoundly  the  evil  in  the  world.  Some- 
thing of  the  fanatic  gleams  in  the  eyes,  and  the 
effect  is  heightened  by  the  wild  masses  of  unkempt 
hair  which  frame  the  countenance. 

Nature  too  seems  to  be  in  a  somewhat  wild  and 
sombre  mood  in  this  spot.  A  dark  bank  rises  ab- 
ruptly at  the  side,  and  St.  John  stands  in  its  shadow, 
just  under  a  tuft  of  coarse  grass  and  bushes  jutting 
from  its  upper  edge.  The  sky  is  overcast  with 
clouds.  A  narrow  stream  falls  over  a  rocky  bed, 
and  in  the  distance  slender  trees  lift  their  feathery 
branches  in  the  air.  In  Titian's  time  landscape 
painting  had  not  developed  into  an  independent  art, 
but  was  an  important  part  of  figure  compositions. 
Our  painter  always  took  great  pains  with  his  land- 
scapes, making  them  harmonize,  as  does  this,  with 
the  character  of  the  figures. 

The  picture  reminds  us  of  the  St.  Christopher 
which  we  have  examined,  being,  like  it,  a  study  di- 
rect from  the  life  of  some  athletic  model.  Yet  here 
we  see  to  better  advantage  Titian's  work  in  model- 
ling the  nude  figure.  We  can  understand  that  one 
reason  why  he  could  make  a  draped  figure  so  lifelike 
was  because  he  studied  the  anatomy  of  the  human 
body  in  undraped  models.  The  figure  here  stands 
out  almost  as  if  it  were  done  in  sculpture. 


XVI 

PORTRAIT    OF    TITIAN 

Probably  no  other  painter  in  the  world's  history 
was  ever  granted  so  long  a  life  in  which  to  develop 
his  art  as  was  Titian.  He  was  a  mere  boy  when  he 
began  to  paint,  and  he  was  still  busy  with  his  brush 
when  stricken  with  plague  at  the  age  of  ninety-nine. 

The  years  between  were  full  of  activity,  and  every 
decade  was  marked  by  some  specially  notable  work 
as  by  a  golden  milestone.  The  Assumption  of  the 
Virgin  was  painted  at  the  age  of  forty,  the  Pesaro 
Madonna  at  fifty,  the  Presentation  of  the  Virgin  in 
his  early  sixties,  the  portrait  of  Philip  II.  at  about 
seventy,  and  St.  John  the  Baptist  at  eighty.  How 
interesting  it  would  be  if  we  could  have  a  portrait 
of  the  man  himself  painted  at  each  decade ! 

Titian,  however,  seems  to  have  been  quite  lacking 
in  personal  vanity.  Though  a  handsome  and  distin- 
guished-looking man,  a  fine  subject  for  a  portrait, 
he  seldom  painted  his  own  likeness.  We  value  the 
more  the  fine  portrait  of  our  frontispiece  painted  at 
the  age  of  eighty-five.  The  years  have  dealt  so 
gently  with  him  that  we  may  still  call  him  a  hand- 
some man.  Yet  the  face  has  the  shrunken  look  of 
old  age,  there  are  deep  hollows  about  the  eyes,  and 
the  features  are  sharpened  under  the  withered  skin. 


92  TITIAN 

There  is  an  expression  which  seems  almost  like  awe 
in  the  eyes.  The  painter  gazes  absently  into  space 
as  if  piercing  beyond  the  veil  which  separates  this 
world  from  the  next.  The  mood  does  not  seem  to 
be  one  of  reminiscence,  but  rather  of  grave  anticipa- 
tion. 

As  we  study  the  face  we  are  interested  to  read  in 
it  what  we  know  of  the  man's  character  and  history. 
Titian  was,  as  we  have  seen,  a  man  who  enjoyed  very 
much  the  good  things  of  life,  and  passed  most  of  his 
days  in  luxurious  surroundings.  He  was  thoroughly 
a  man  of  the  world,  at  ease  in  the  society  of  princes 
and  noblemen,  and  a  princely  host  in  his  own  house. 
Our  portrait  shows  that  his  courtly  bearing  did  not 
fail  him  in  his  old  age :  we  can  fancy  the  ceremoni- 
ous courtesy  of  his  manner.  The  figure  is  extended 
well  below  the  waist,  perhaps  that  we  may  see  how 
erect  the  old  man  is. 

Titian,  too,  had  not  a  little  taste  for  literature 
and  the  society  of  the  learned.  His  fine  high  brow 
and  keen  eyes  are  sufficient  evidence  that  he  was  a 
man  of  intellect.  That  he  was  a  fond  father  we  have 
no  doubt,  and  we  like  to  trace  the  lines  of  kindliness 
in  the  fine  old  face. 

Age  cannot  quench  the  old  man's  ardor  for  his  art. 
The  brush  is  still  his  familiar  companion,  and  will  go 
with  him  to  the  end.  He  holds  it  here  in  his  right 
hand,  in  the  attitude  of  a  painter  pausing  to  get 
the  effect  of  his  work.  It  may  be  from  this  that  he 
would  have  us  think  that  his  glance  is  directed  to- 
ward his  canvas.     In  that  case,  the  serious  expres- 


PORTRAIT  OF  TITIAN  93 

sion  would  indicate  that  the  subject  is  a  solemn  one, 
perhaps  the  Ecce  Homo,  or  the  Pieta,  which  he 
painted  in  his  later  years. 

We  see  that  his  hand  had  not  lost  its  cunning 
in  summoning  before  us  the  real  presence  of  a  sitter, 
and  that  he  could  paint  his  own  likeness  as  readily 
as  that  of  another.  The  portrait  shows  us  the  best 
elements  in  a  man  of  a  many-sided  nature.  This  is 
Titian  the  master,  whom  the  world  honors  as  one  of 
the  greatest  of  his  kind. 


PRONOUNCING  VOCABULARY  OF  PROPER  NAMES 
AND  FOREIGN  WORDS 


The  Diacritical  Marks  given  are  those  found  in  the  latest  edition  of  Webster's  Inter- 
national Dictionary. 

EXPLANATION  OF  DIACRITICAL  MARKS. 

A  Dash  (")  above  the  vowel  denotes  the  long  sound,  as  in  fate,  eve,  time,  note,  use. 

A  Dash  and  a  Dot  (■*")  above  the  vowel  denote  the  same  sound,  less  prolonged. 

A  Curve  (w)  above  the  vowel  denotes  the  short  sound,  as  in  5dd,  2nd,  111,  5dd,  up. 

A  Dot  ( ' )  above  the  vowel  a  denotes  the  obscure  sound  of  a  in  past,  abate,  AmSrici. 

A  Double  Dot  (")  above  the  vowel  a  denotes  the  broad  sound  of  a  in  father,  alma. 

A  Double  Dot  (.,)  below  the  vowel  a  denotes  the  sound  of  a  in  ball. 

A  Wave  (~)  above  the  vowel  e  denotes  the  sound  of  e  in  her. 

A  Circumflex  Accent  (A)  above  the  vowel  o  denotes  the  sound  of  o  in  bSrn. 

A  dot  ( . )  below  the  vowel  u  denotes  the  sound  of  u  in  the  French  language. 

n  indicates  that  the  preceding  vowel  has  the  French  nasal  tone. 

tli  denotes  the  sound  of  th  in  the,  this, 

£  sounds  like  s, 

«  sounds  like  k. 

g  sounds  like  z. 

g  is  hard  as  in  get. 

g  is  soft  as  in  gem. 


iEetes  (e^tez). 

Andalusia  (an-da-loc/zi-a  or  an-da-lob- 

the'a). 
Anthony  (an'to-ni). 
Argo  (ar'go)- 

Armada  (ar-ma'da  or  ar-ma'da). 
Augsburg  (owgs'bobrG). 

Baffo  (baf'fo). 

Baldassa're. 

Bel'la. 

Belvedere  (bel-ve-da're  or  -derO. 

Benedetto  (ba-na-det'to). 

Beth'lehem. 

Biri  (be're). 

Borgia  (bor'ja). 

Brussels  (brus'elz). 

Caesar  (se'zar). 
Calvary  (kal'va-ri). 


Canaan  (ka'nan  or  ka'na-an). 
Carlton  (karl'tun). 
Casa  Grande  (ka/sa  gran'da). 
Castiglione  (kas-tel-yo'na). 
Caxton  (kaks'tun). 
Ceneda  (cha-na'da). 
Christopher  (kris'to-fSr). 
Cleodolinda  (kla-d-do-lin'da). 
Clos'son. 
Colchis  (koTkis). 
Cornelio  (k&r-na'le-o). 
Cristoforo  (kres-to'fd-ro). 
Cu'pid. 

Diocletian  (di-6-kle'shi-an). 

Ecce  Homo  (ek'ke,  or  ek'se,  ho'mo). 
Eleanora  (a-la-6-no'ra). 
Elizabeth  (e-liz'a-beth). 
Emmanuel  (em-man' u-el). 


96 


TITIAN 


Ferdinand. 

Flem'ing. 

Florence. 

Francesco  (fran-ches'ko). 

Franciscan  (fran-sis'kan). 

Frari  (fra're). 

Gabriel. 

Ga'reth. 

Giorgione  (jor-jo'na). 

Gonza/ga. 

Grana/da. 

guimpe  (gaNp). 

Guinevere  (gwin'e-ver). 

Hebrew  (he'broo). 
Hecate  (hgk'a-te). 
Herod  (heVud). 
Herodians  (her-o'di-anz). 

Isabella  (lz-a-bel'a). 
Isaiah  (i-za'ya). 
Israel  (Iz'ra-el). 

Jacopo  (ya'ko-po). 

Jameson  (ja'me-sun). 

Jason  (ja'sun). 

Jerome  (je-rom'  or  jer'um). 

Jerusalem. 

Joachim  (jo'a-kim). 

Jordan. 

Jude'a. 

Ju'no. 

Kingsley  (kingz/li). 

Lavin'ia. 

Legenda  Aurea  (leg-Sn'da  ow're-a  or 

le-jen'da  a/re-a). 
Leon,  Ponce  de  (pon'tha  da  la-on'). 
Leonardo  (lii-o-nar'do). 
Levites  (le'vltz). 
Lot'to. 
Lynette  0i-n5t'). 

Madon'na. 
MlgnMSokti 

mandola  (miin-do'la). 
Man'tua. 


Maximilian  (mak-si-mil'i-an). 

Mede'a. 

Men'delssohn. 

Messi'ah. 

Metamorphoses. 

Milan  (mil' an  or  mi-lan'). 

Mi'15. 

Murano  (mob-ra'no). 

Murillo  (mob-rel'yo). 

Naz'areth. 

Netherlands  (neth'Sr-landz). 

Offero  (of  fe-ro). 
Ovid  (5v'id). 

Pad'da. 

Palestine. 

Pallavicino,  Argentina  (ar-gen-te'na 

pal-la-ve-che'no) . 
PaPma. 
Pa'phos. 
PaVma. 

Pesari  (pa-sa/re). 

Pesaro,  Jacopo  (ya/ko-po  pa-sa'ro). 
Pharisee  (faVi-se). 
Pieta  (pe-a'ta). 
Portugal  (po^tu-gal). 
Portuguese  (por/tu-gez). 
Priscianese  (pris-che-a-na'sa). 

Reggio  (red'jo). 

Rovere,  Francesco  Maria  della  (fran- 
ches'ko  ma-re'a  dSlla  ro-va'ra). 
Rus'kln. 

Sadducees  (sad'u-sez). 

Salome  (sa-lo'nie). 

Sarcinelli,  Cornelio  (kor-na'le-o  siir» 

che-neTle). 
Serravalle  (s5r-rii-val'la). 
Seville  (se-vil'). 

Titian  (tish'an). 

Uffizi  (oof-fr-t'sft). 
Urbino  (obr-be'no). 

Van  Dyck  (van  dlk'). 


PRONOUNCING  VOCABULARY 


97 


Vasari  (va-sa/re). 
Velasquez  (va-las'kath). 
Venetian  (ve-ne'shan). 
Venice  (ven'is). 
Ve'niis. 

Veronese  (va-ro-na'z&). 
VSsa'lius. 
Vien'na. 

Vinci,  Leonardo  da  (la-o-nar'do  da 
vin'che). 


Voragine,  Jacopo  de  (ya/ko-po  da  vo- 

rii-je'na). 
Vul'gate. 

Wesley  (wes'll). 

Yuste  (yobs'ta). 

Zacharias  (z&k-a-ri'ae). 


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